Many hold tragic associations with September 11th, but the one that is top of mind for me is my mom's birthday. My mom was an extremely talented painter, but she's also the most selfless person I know. My mom gave up her pursuit of painting to raise a family, often saying, "I will get back to it, after the kids grow up." Sadly, she never returned to it. Recently, my mom received an Alzheimer's diagnosis. This disease has altered her. I owe my mom for every creative skill I've ever have developed. She will always be the reason that I keep creating.