One of these days she's going to slip up and her secret identity will be revealed. It might be while she's at work or grocery shop ping or sitting on the couch catching the last few minutes of `` Dancing With the Stars.'' One false move and her bright red cape will suddenly come flying out, and everyone will know the truth: My mother is a superhero.

She's celebrating her birth day next Sun day, but if his tory is any indication my mother will continue to speed up in the coming year rather than slow down. She has always possessed the superpower of being in three places at once -- made possi ble in part by her other super power of driving fast. She zips from one place to the next, her schedule j Despite expending such high levels of energy, she requires only popcorn and wine to survive.

Years ago, as a newly wid owed mother of three, she went to business school and launched herself into a new career. Now she hobnobs with real estate tycoons and lives on to tell about it.

It couldn't have been easy raising three children alone. Though come to think of it, we were pretty great kids. Well, I was at least. The jury is still out on the other two.

While my mother was in graduate school, she regretted that she sometimes wasn't home to make us dinner and had to leave us tuna noodle casserole to heat up. But that qualifies as another super power in my book; I love tuna noodle casserole. My mother's heroics have come in a variety of forms. After I finished a so-so driving test, she sweet-talked the guy into giving me my license.

When I started a rock band and had rehearsals in the basement she didn't kick me out of the house or secretly vandalize my drums. She actually professed to liking our music, which could be seen as either pretty brave or pretty stupid.

Perhaps the one superpow er I've appreciated the most over the years is her ability to teach me so much by the way she lives her life.

The power of example is strong, and in my mother I see a warmth, compassion, kindness, and wisdom that few people possess. She has demonstrated to me the importance of strong family bonds and the wealth to be had in quality friendships. No matter how busy or crazy life gets, she always has her priorities in line (which means she calls me first, before either of my sisters).

No matter what decisions or mistakes I've made in life, she has always been there to support me -- never judgmental, never impatient, always providing love and encouragement and scrumptious cookies. It is largely thanks to you, Mom that I've turned into the stupendously wonderful person I am today!

Happy Birthday, Mom.

BILL ZUCK is suddenly craving tuna noodle casserole. If you are his mother, e-mail him the recipe at wcz78(at)(at)yahoo.com.