Much of my writing, like much of the way I live and view the world, has been shaped by my mother. We were close enough to be part of each other's heartbeats, and when she died, on May 26, 2008, everything about her simply became part of me. We thought alike on every major subject, so this volume of poetry is both a tribute to, and a reflection of, everything she stood for and believed in. The poems are mine, but the voice is hers, speaking through my words. At the same time, the various sections accurately reflect the experiences, challenges, triumphs and losses that have made me the independent person I am-always shaped, at least in part, by my mother's influence. In this volume, you will read my words and hear my mother's voice on every season's special wind, a calm and steadying voice on the endless winds of change.