A Mothers' Day Tribute, Courtesy of the Ocean

This is a crab.

And it probably isn't the image that you expected to see on a Mothers' Day story, but bear with me.

Earlier this spring, the crab in this picture washed up on Venice Beach. It stretched about three feet across, and though it was dead, it was very impressive.

As it happened, the crab landed in Venice on a day when a friend's mother was in town visiting from the East Coast.

My friend wasn't walking on the beach with his mom when she stumbled upon this specimen of the deep. So, what did his mother do? She took a picture, of course! And she brought it back to the house to show her son. She even took the time to send it to me, when I asked for it.

For many of us, even most of us, a mother is our first, our primary, guide to life. Showing us the world is a role they play naturally and enthusiastically. Watch any mother and toddler walking down the street, and you will see an ongoing explanation of the world. "See the bird? See the dog?"

Theirs is not a role that ends when children grow up, although the things they have to teach get more complicated.

They still show us pictures, and they tell us stories. They ask us to be inquisitive.

And they encourage us to follow our dreams, to move across the country, and to live near different oceans, in different climates, and with different people. Even when they are far away, they guide us.

So, to my mom, to my friend's mom, and to all the moms around the country and the world:

Happy Mothers' Day. Thank you for showing us the world.