I had the best mom in the world, but I also benefitted from "other" mothers: a former boyfriend's mom who encouraged me and has been a lifelong friend, an elderly woman whose stories of courage and adventure make me dream bigger and take more chances outside my own comfort zone, a friend who's always willing to listen to my worries and cares and offer prayers along with sage advice. Several months ago, a reader told me the story of Mary Eckert, a woman I've never met who has become the "other" mother to villagers in the highest mountains of Ecuador. David Putnam Jr., that reader, refers to her as "Mary Poppins" for the magical things that happen in her wake.