“Mom. That is a word I didn’t really use until I had my own children. I have been without a mother virtually my whole life. She winded up giving up custody of me after my father filed for a divorce when I was about 3 years old. Maybe it was her way out? A way for her to give up responsibility. A way for her to chase her high? I winded up moving to FL when I was about 7 years old. Growing up with a mother who gave up on me left me feeling worthless and simply lost. As early as 8 years old, I was teased in school for not having a mother. I felt so alone. I can still remember the way the other kids would chant “Nikki has no mother! Nikki has no mother!” Was everyone this cruel? This hateful?  My mother would call me about once or twice a year and make promises she never kept. As a child I lacked confidence, social ability, and trusting another. Even today, I have a hard time trusting others.”