As if it were yesterday, I remember that feeling of leaving my children in the morning when they were young and heading off to my commute to the city. I often spoke to my kids as they started their day, with sleep still hanging in their voices.

One day last week, I sat next to a lovely young woman on the train. Her phone rang and she started a conversation with an obviously young child, and then spoke to her sister, another obviously young child. I was thoroughly enjoying her conversation. Yes, I was listening but it was hard not to. She was clearly struggling with having left them that morning.

As I have been known to do in the past, I started a conversation. I shared some of my own experiences having raised children while working all of these years, with its rewards and challenges. I told her one of my favorite stories about being admonished by my then 8 year old daughter that my fancies of staying home were "ridiculous" because I really liked my job.

Through our conversation, I learned that this young woman had not two but three young children under the age of 6, that they were all foster children and she was a single parent. She had lots of help it seemed, and family around but I have to say, I was in awe of her.

Started my day with a smile.