One never knows where a story idea is going to come from. On a recent stay at Bretton Woods Vacations in New Hampshire (see the story), and in a conversation with the president and co-founder of the place, Alex Foti, came the idea for this Mother’s Day story. I was asking about the tall tree placed smack dab in the center of our vacation cabin, and Foti explained it was inspired by his “soul mate.” I asked, “And who would that be?” Expecting to hear a typical reply like a life partner, best friend, even a beloved pet, what I heard was, “my mother-in-law.”
“Excuse me?”
And out came the story.
Alex Foti met Susan Seaman in 2012 when he began dating her son, and future spouse, Aaron Foti. The three spent a lot of time together, and it was during a trip to Italy where Alex saw up close the way Susan brought people together despite the language barrier. Her curiosity, and outgoing nature – a product of her career as a public educator – made her a lively spirit to be around. Even Aaron Foti had to admit that Alex and his mom were, indeed, “kindred spirits.”
Susan with her grandson
Here in Alex’s own words, is his tribute to his soulmate and mother-in-law; his words are heartfelt and perfect for this Mother’s Day.
My mother-in-law, Susan Seaman, was a bit like my soulmate. I loved the way she looked at the world. There was curiosity in her, an inquisitiveness, a genuine interest in learning that was eye-opening and so beautiful to me. While she was taken from us far too soon, I was lucky enough to travel with her on several occasions, and you really couldn’t ask for a better travel companion. She would ask that most intimate question of the people she met, in a way I would never dare think of – and yet she did so with kindness and sweetness that got everyone around her to open up and welcome her into their own world. I was so lucky to witness that.
The tree in the cabin (Photo by MJ Hanley-Goff)
Her connection to Owl Roost [the vacation villa which contains the tree] is that she had a keen interest in owls. She collected lots of owl-related memorabilia in her home and often painted them. It just so happened that construction of the Owl Roost [cabin] was completed the year she passed. The home, with its central staircase carved out of a dead tree, had a very “nature-inspired” look that reminded us of a nesting site for a bird. It was a combination of multiple things that got its name: our desire to stick with a local animal theme for naming the cabins, its structure which reminded us of a bird’s roosting site, and our Mom’s passion for owls.
Susan Seaman lived long enough to see her soulmate marry her son; she passed away in 2017, a month after their wedding. But as Alex says, “she’s always with us.”
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers AND Mother’s-In-Law.
Top photo: left to right: Aaron Foti, Susan Seaman, Alex Foti
Photos of Susan are by Shane Powers
