Dr. Hanna Cespedes Ph.D., M.S, LPC, ACS, NCC

A tender reflection for Rochester mothers on secure attachment, mentalizing, and the power of being the person your child reaches for in distress. This piece explores why a baby often cries “mama” during overwhelm—not as a form of blame, but as a gesture of trust—and how working moms can cultivate connection through presence, repair, and compassion. A reminder that “good enough” mothering is more than enough.

In a Mayo Clinic waiting room, Dr. Hanna Cespedes reflects on a couple’s quiet handshake—a simple ritual of love and resilience. Through the lens of attachment theory, she explores how small acts of connection can bring safety and healing, even in uncertainty. As the holidays approach, she invites us to turn toward one another with presence, humor, and care—because resilience is not just what we endure, but who we become together.

​  Let me correct myself. They, themselves, in their cute light up shoes and bent hoolahoop, actually bring me a long of joy. Roughly, every night around 6pm, I see the two presumable siblings with their families walking down the sidewalk toward the park. The older looking son is in front and is pushing forward while his little sister, with a suspiciously masculine looking baseball cap she wears backwards on her blonde curls, is trying to move her little legs with all her mite to keep up with...