Her mother's strength, one of many wonderful characteristics,  helped my guest through some really tough times, including my her dad's death, job elimination, her mom's death and a divorce.  Both mother and daughter survived  big life transitions and had to reinvent themselves.  

When your mother makes you feel like you're the most important person in the room, that's a great feeling. When your mom is brutally honest and tells you something she's not particularly happy with, well, maybe that's not such a great feeling. But it was so much of what has left a lasting impression on my guest.  Sue Gust Fields, to this day keeps her mother's memories very close and says her mom gives her gifts from heaven, including finding her second husband for her.