On the occasion of Mother’s Day, we would like to salute mothers for whom motherhood has been an uphill trudge and a don’t-know-how-this-will-turn-out battle. These are moms that are raising special needs children – both the 2-legged and 4-legged kind (special kudos to my friends Suma and Gayathri for opening their hearts to not one, but two dogs each, from shelters, and giving them a loving home). We are featuring an article by my friend Lesley Scen, who has gone through laughter and tears with her autistic daughter Meghana. Also featured is a poignant poem by Janaki Rao that mirrors the same emotions from a child’s perspective. Hope you have an opportunity to read and reflect on both.