BZ reflects on the impact of his mother's Parkinson's disease, inspired by Andy McDowell's poem "Smaller," which describes the gradual, incremental effects of the disease. He shares the mindset of of "what could have been"—the experiences and milestones his mother might have enjoyed if not for her illness vs. what was and is. Despite her physical limitations, he finds gratitude in her presence, acknowledging that while she may be smaller and slower, she remains the beloved mother, grandmother, wife, and friend she has always been.