Home Is Where Your Mom Is

As Mother's Day approaches this Sunday, this common credo is affirmed in many ways.  Mothers are not replaceable, and your home will always be where your mother lives.

About three weeks ago, I received a phone call from the owner of Duck Sauce.  She is telling me a woman has walked into her restaurant in need of a rental home to be close to her son.  She has nothing to help her. Not even English.  I meet with the woman the next morning and ask her to come in my car to go look at homes.  

She was very apprehensive, not knowing me from Adam.  I mean, this is a common practice here, but the process must be different in China.  Anyway, she builds her trust in me and we start looking.  We saw a few places, but she wanted something extremely close to George School (where her son boards), so she can cook traditional food for her son every single day.  

WAIT?  I asked, you left your home, your husband, and life in China just to come cook for your son? I asked...

Yes.  I only have one son, she said.  

The warmth in her love was enough to ignite a fire in me to work my hardest to ensure she received fair treatment in our community.  

Believe me, it was not easy.  

I had to fend her from false application fees, opening up a bank account without an address, finding furniture, making sure she feels safe, etc.  By the way, I think rental application fees are kind of a turn off.  They aren't necessary unless someone is running a credit and criminal/background check.  The agent who wanted this application fee wanted it to "draw up the lease".  Let's keep it real... she was trying to take advantage of our situation.  Sorry, I digress.

I wondered why and how I was going so hard for this woman.  It was simple. A Mother's Love is probably one of the most pure experiences on this planet and should be protected.  Her sacrifice of her life in China has created a home in America for her son.  Truly, home is where your mom is.