A few months ago, I was working on a project where I asked a number of people I know what they considered the basic truths of life.

I got a number of excellent responses, but the most fascinating one came from my daughter Pauline.

<em>"My family is my No. 1 priority at all times. Not just when it's convenient."</em>

[caption id="attachment_1325" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="An old picture but a great one."]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/maddie-mariners.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1325" title="maddie mariners" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/maddie-mariners-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

When she said that, Pauline had a little daughter and a husband. Now she's nearly two-thirds of the way through her second pregnancy, and by Thanksgiving -- assuming all goes well -- she will have a son.

Her family loves her, her friends love her and her career in the Foreign Service is going swimmingly.

I'm in awe of her, because I don't know how she manages to find the energy to do her job so well and still be such a good wife, mother ... and daughter.

She has become one of my favorite people to have conversations with, whether the topic is personal or simply current events. She always has something intelligent or insightful to say, and while I have been blessed to know numerous highly intelligent women in my life, Pauline would rank near the top of the list.

Everyone who knows me knows how I feel about my daughter, but just in case you're wondering why this is being written today, well, it's Pauline's birthday.

Happy birthday, Pauline. I'm very proud to be part of your life.

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