Holding Up More Than Half the Sky

In recognition of the contributions that women made to Chinese society, Mao Zedong said that “women hold up half the sky.” In my family of origin, I am 1 of 5 children. Our ages range from mid-70s to early 60s. On Mother’s Day 2017 our mother “went home” following 2 years of steady decline. Mom lived on her own for 34 years, and she did quite well managing her affairs, keeping house, and visiting her children who were scattered around the country. But failing eyesight, hearing loss, and an inability to maintain personal hygiene and adequate nutrition and hydration began to take hold.