Best Mom Ever: What The Good Moms Teach (A Thank You)

Dear Mom,

I can never thank you for everything you’ve done for me but I can thank you for the big things, the things that shape my view of the world and myself.

Thank you for teaching me that romantic love is not a necessity of life. I have seen you go to bed alone every night for the last decade (except for the nights I wanted to snuggle with you) without being upset. You could cry and complain about having no one by your side, but you know that the love of your family and friends is all you really need to survive. I will never feel alone in life because I don’t have a romantic partner because I will always have your love.

Thank you for teaching me to always act with grace and dignity, especially in the presence of those who are waiting to watch me fall. Being rude and disrespectful will get me no where but acting as the bigger person and showing respect to those around me, despite how much I may dislike them, will give me a peace of mind and the upper hand.

Thank you for teaching me to stand up for myself and to put up a fight. You have always taught me to show respect to everyone around me even if they don’t deserve it, but to still stand my ground and to fight for what I believe in. I know when I am being taken advantage of and I know when and how to put an end to it thanks to you. You’ve shown me that there are some people in this world set on tearing you down but no matter how hard or scary it may be to stand up to these bullies and never stop fighting until you get what you deserve.

Thank you for teaching me to admit when I am wrong. There will be days when I want to be right but will inevitably not be. A weak person would continue to fight after this realization just so they don’t have to admit to their own faults. You have shown me how to own up to my faults and shortcomings with dignity. It may take me some time to suck it up and act like a grown up but you’ve taught me that it is better to be person who makes mistakes and mends them than to be arrogant and stubborn.

Thank you for teaching me that happiness is more important than success. All of the times you let me take mental health days when you knew I needed them and all of the times you let me stay out just a little later than I should have because you knew I would be having fun have shown me the value of true happiness. I can have all of the good grades and success in the world but it won’t mean anything if I fall asleep miserable at night. You’ve always put our family’s happiness above anything else and I cannot thank you enough for that.

On the other hand I have to thank you for instilling a work ethic in me that most people do not have. You‘ve worked anywhere from two to four jobs at a time for the last ten years to keep a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, and joy in our hearts. Even when you were worn out, sick, and exhausted you got up each day and did what our family needed you to do and it has always meant the world to me. I know that nothing will ever be handed to me and I have to go out and work for what I want. I may get tired and want to give up but I will always be able to think of everything you were able to do on your worst days and know that with some hard work and perseverance I can succeed.

More than anything else I’d like to thank you for loving me. There has not been a single night in my life where I went to bed not knowing that I was loved. When I pushed your buttons and broke your rules, when I begged you to buy me things and got mad when you couldn’t, when I wanted to do things and blamed you when I couldn’t you still loved me. No matter how many hours a day you were working, or how sick either of us were, or how far away we were from each other I felt loved every second of every day and there’s nothing in this world that could take that feeling away. Other people in my life have walked out on me and stopped loving me but you never have for a second and I owe you the world for that.

Thank you for making me the person I am today and thank you for loving me when I’ve been hard to love. I love you mom.