How great are mothers? Think about it. Not a single one of us would be here without them. They serve so many special roles in our lives and they deserve to be celebrated more than just one day out of the year. But life oftentimes gets in the way of that. And so, as this Mother's Day approaches, I'm reminded once again how fortunate I am to have been blessed with wonderful mothers in my life.

I was waiting for it. And now it has finally happened. No, I didn't get a part in the sequel to Call Me By Your Name. No, I didn't get an invitation to Prince Harry's nuptials. And sadly no, I still don't fit into last year's skinny jeans. On the contrary, it wasn't something I hoped would happen, but more like something I dreaded.

I am not a "gold star" gay (Google it, Mom). Far from it. I have dated my share of strong, intelligent, beautiful — and admittedly naïve — women. And those relationships taught me a lot about myself and in some ways inspired me to become the man — and father — I am today. And so I figured it was time to give credit where credit's due, by thanking these wonderful girls who taught me so much about love, compassion and the importance of staying true to myself.

But first, a little backstory.