You got to get up every mornin' with a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel.

- Carole King, Beautiful

At first I was a little embarrassed by this little ditty playing every time my cell phone rang while I was in Hong Kong. Well, It wasn't really my cell phone--I was borrowing my mom's spare one and this was the ring tone she had. But really, who chooses this random '70s English song as their ring tone in Hong Kong? Even my dad had the acumen to pick Cantopop rubbish for his.

Then I came around to actually thinking about the lyrics of the song one day. I realized how fitting they are for my mom. She is the nicest person I know. And she has had to put up with a lot of crap, both at work and elsewhere. Yet in spite of all this, she still has the courage and fortitude to bring her smile to every situation. And, with the hope that people will indeed treat her better, demonstrates that kindness is so much superior to stooping down to retribution or backlash. I hope that other people get it too and realize just how great a person she is. I love my mom.