My mother's childhood wasn't easy either. Although born into wealth, my mother knew the insides of underground bomb shelters and being ripped away from family because of war. You see, my mother is a Dutch immigrant with Flemish and Jewish heritage. How those two lovebirds from opposite corners of the world found each other is a beautiful story for another time. What I can say is they worked incredibly hard to give my siblings and me the security that had been so scant in their lives. As I look to them in the gallery above me today, I feel overwhelming love and gratitude, especially knowing how much my mum hates flying—it took two flights just to get here and you've still got to get back, Mum.