Laura San Giacomo - The Christ Hospital

continued from page 11Family firstMason, who has cerebral palsy, is an integralpart of San Giacomo’s everyday life. She’s becomea children’s advocate, championing his educationand helping found an award-winning charter school inthe San Fernando Valley. The school is a proponentof inclusion education, a method where children of allabilities learn together. “Mason loves school, so I followedhis lead and that’s what I tried to champion forhim,” says San Giacomo. “I’ve seen through his educationthat everyone learning together is a very valuableexperience. We can talk about diversity all we want, butwhen we’re living it, it’s really no big whoop.”It takes a lot of stamina to keep San Giacomo’shectic schedule of filming, raising Mason and keepingher marriage strong, but the New Jersey nativehas some surefire methods for keeping a low-stresspace. “I laugh in the face of people who say anythingabout being calm,” she loudly giggles. “We laughall the time in our house and sometimes it’s a challenge.”One of her tougher trials came when Masonneeded hip surgery and muscle repair last December.“I kept saying everything’s going to be fine. And wedid laugh, which helped us all get through it,” saysSan Giacomo.Mason’s move from preschool to kindergartenwas a pivotal hardship on San Giacomo. “That’show I learned to mentally front-load—to ask myself,‘What’s going to help me get through this nexttransition?’ ” she says. Now she avoids overbookingduring busy back-to-school time. “That way, nothingsneaks up and bites me in the butt. I think aboutlife and motherhood and how we want to control allof it. But one of the lessons of motherhood is thatyou’re not in control. You have to learn to let go ofthe side of your ego that thinks you can make everythingright, and just go with the flow of that particularmoment,” says San Giacomo.of time every evening checking in. We’re availableto each other to see how things are going, to discussdecisions. The porch is one way we make sure to havesome alone time.”San Giacomo also loves to zone out in her garden.“I have a little Buddha sculpture, some paintings thatmy son has done over the years, some rocks, little turtles,a blue frog and a silver bird sitting on a rock.” Tocomplete the serenity, a blue fairy tile that her mothergave her rests nearby. “Just sitting there and doingnothing is really good for me,” she says.Giving gratitudeBorn into a large Italian family, one of SanGiacomo’s most vivid childhood memories revolvesaround “the sound of my mom’s wooden spoon hittingthe side of the saucepan—she’d be making sauce,or as we called it, the gravy. It’s a real comfortingsound to me now when I’m making my gravy,” shesays. “And my son’s really aware of my cooking whenhe comes home from school. He loves the aroma ofgarlic, olive oil and onion sautéing.” Her sensory signalstake her back to when life wasn’t so hectic. “I’mat a point in my life where I can really see that thingshave changed,” says San Giacomo. “But I’ve foundthere’s great power in life-affirming gratitude. I try toteach my son by example that we live in a crazy, modernworld, but with a little bit of gratitude, we canobtain a balance.”While Mason is the primary focus of SanGiacomo’s everyday life, the actress still finds thetime to maintain her personal health and stamina. Sheenjoys a game of tennis or golf and occasionally iceskating.But she’s still an active participant in Mason’seducation. “At his schools, I’ve seen this great valuingof all people and self worth,” says San Giacomo.Discovering value and self worth in herself—andothers—has paid off handsomely. “I have a sense ofHelpful hometimeThe house San Giacomo shares with her familyis very much a home, complete with a large backporch, glorious vegetable garden and flowerbeds anda large, airy kitchen. Anxiety reducers hereinclude “me-time” gardening, or just sittingon the back porch spending quality timewith her husband. “Date nights? Who hasthe time?” she asks. “Matt and I spend a lotSan Giacomoand “AmazingGrace” co-starHolly Hunter.purpose and a sense of belonging,” she says. WHT12Women’s Health Today