In honor of #MothersDay , if you have a second - here’s a pic of my mom with Paul Newman (I’ll explain), a little story, and a lesson...

So the first movie I ever received credit on as a writer was “Cars.” When I got hired by Pixar to move up there and write on it, I was quite young (26ish), inexperienced, and in WAY over my head.

Working at Pixar was everything you’d hope it would be. The people were kind, creative, and generous and gave me confidence to pretend I knew what I was doing...

Some time into working there I had the opportunity to fly to New York to be present while Paul Newman - PAUL NEWMAN! - did a voiceover session...

I was introduced to him as the screenwriter. He shook my hand, looked me dead in the eye, and announced flatly “He’s ten years old.” Everyone laughed.

Whether or not I peed or pooped myself a tiny bit in that moment is not important for this story...

The session went well. During lunch I got to sit in a small room with him on a couch, eating deli sandwiches side by side, as we watched a car race on TV.

Check that: he watched the car race. I watched him.

It would be almost two years until I saw him again...

That was at the premiere of the film. My first writing “credit!” The premiere was a weekend-long event at a raceway in North Carolina. Both of my (long divorced) parents came with their new sig others. There was a LOT going on for me (is this boring? There’s a point I swear).

I think it was the largest premiere, or one of the largest premieres, size wise, in history. Just to give you an idea...

I was just a small part of the movie, and I was so new to it all, and the experience was kind of overwhelming for my whole family. None of us could really wrap our heads around it, and we weren’t sure exactly what to do...

Particularly my mom. She had her TV programs she loved, sure. But an entertainment guru she was not. She could smash headfirst into Tom Cruise and not know who he was...

But my God, when she saw Paul Newman in the lobby that day...

“Danny. It’s Paul Newman,” she gasped. And then she asked me for something she never would usually ask for, but for Paul Newman...

“Do you think you could ask him to take a picture with me...?”

I am 28. I have met Paul Newman one or two times. I am overwhelmed by the spectacle around me.

I say no. I am not comfortable.

I allow my mom to walk behind him. I try and snap a few shots. Take another look... that blond head bobbing behind him? That’s my mom.

We lost my mom two years later, quite unexpectedly.

I keep this picture in my office because it makes me smile.

But man, how I would love to have a posed, smiling, shot of my Mom and Paul Newman right now.

How I would love to have given her that moment...

We are reminded these days, more than ever, how fragile life is. How quickly your entire world can change, just like that.

Hopefully, on this Mother’s Day, this overly long and maybe severely boring story will serve as a reminder...

Whatever your own mother’s “picture with Paul Newman” is - just get it for her. Whether it’s extra time on the phone, or an extra visit, or some extra Zoom time with your kids. Don’t let your own shit get in the way.

I bet Paul Newman would have taken that picture with my mom. I bet he would have said something witty and made her laugh and given her a story of a lifetime.

I have no doubt she found him wherever they are now.

God help him.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing mothers out there. But especially mine.

We miss you, Mom.

Paul Newman would have been lucky to have gotten that picture with you.