Dear Friend --

This weekend begins our gradual reopening in Long Beach. Mother’s Day weekend is a great time to start this new chapter and even if we can’t all be with our mothers, I know Long Beach can have a great Mother’s Day. Let’s make this weekend really special for our moms and for moms all around our community.

I know it’s hard being apart from our extended families and also very challenging for parents with kids at home right now. Many mothers are still working and juggling employment with homeschooling kids and managing everything else going on right now is not easy. The parents doing this are unsung heroes.

The mothers of Long Beach, particularly those working in essential jobs right now, deserve a standing ovation.

They won’t be able to get one this weekend, but there is some good news: You can send mom some flowers. Florists were allowed to reopen for curbside pickup starting Friday and their reopening in time for Mother’s Day is not only good news for mom, it’s also a sign of hope for our economy, as florists open in time for one of their biggest days of the year and just in time for the graduation season.

You can also have a meal or some sweets delivered to mom or grandma from one of the many restaurants open for pickup and delivery in Long Beach.

Maybe most important, more than flowers or meals or chocolate, are our words of gratitude and appreciation.

To all the mothers in Long Beach, thank you for everything you do.

It’s certainly not ideal. A Zoom party for mom just isn’t the same as a picnic in the park or a dinner in your childhood home. But this Mother’s Day can still be a time of hope, celebration, and honoring the women who brought us all into this world. Let’s help all the mothers of Long Beach feel seen, supported, and loved this weekend.

Like all of you, I would really like to go visit my mom. I know we all would like to take our mother—and our grandmothers—to brunch, spend the day visiting, and of course give mom a big hug.

Although we can’t do that at this time, that’s because we are protecting the health of our community, particularly those most at risk, which includes many of our elders. Even if we can’t see our families in person, we can still celebrate, honor our mothers, and make sure Sunday is a special day for moms throughout our community.

Happy Mother’s Day to all,