Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

“My mom was the cool girl all through high school, undergrad, and grad school. But life didn’t go that well. For most of her life, she had to care for someone in the family who was ill, and that took a huge toll on her. First it was her dad, then it was me (I had childhood illnesses), then her in-laws in quick succession, then her dad again, and finally she had to nurse my dad until he passed away from a terminal illness. She was meant to be social and have fun, and instead she was forced to be around sickness and sadness for her best years.”