I’ll be honest; I slightly diverged from being the “ideal” teenager growing up. Don’t get me wrong, I did my work diligently in high school, worked hard, and tried my best, but I sometimes banged heads with my parents over the littlest things. Getting a car, going out on dates, staying out a little later on weekends—all these things were definitely topics of argument in my household growing up. As a teenager, in my hormonal-filled frustration, I often saw my mom as constricting of what I wanted to do with my life.
Looking back on my relationship with my mom, it is unbelievable to see how much has changed in less than five years. I can easily say that my mom is one of my best friends now that I am in college and away from the place I was raised. We talk daily, she always knows what to say to pick me up when I need it most, and she has become that person that I can always look to. This amazing transition may have been caused by me simply being away from home and realizing how much I rely on my mom, not only as a mother, but also a friend.
It seems so corny to say, “my mom is one of my best friends,” but for me this is reality. Trustworthy, funny, and always there for me with the brightest smile, my mom truly always knows exactly what to say and when to say it. I can’t imagine having anyone else by my side during the highs and lows of college and life than my mom. Loved by all my friends, Pammy truly is a ray of positivity and happiness to everyone she meets.
As I have progressed through the years, my mother and I have changed our relationship from just simply mother and daughter to best friends. Once we were able to remove the wall of conflict, fueled by misunderstanding and difference in opinions, what lay underneath was an amazing relationship of humor, trust, security, and happiness. I owe my mom everything: she brought me on this Earth, has given me the tools and guidance to thrive, and has done her best to give me every opportunity at succeeding and being happy in my life. Without her, I would be positively and utterly lost. I owe my mom so much, but it took a long time to get to this understanding.
I love more than anything when my mom and I call each other “just to talk.” In my early high school days, there were days where I would bury myself in my work to avoid conflict with her and now, years later, we call just to catch up and hear each other’s voice. It is incredible how my growing maturity as a young adult coupled with my mom’s unfaltering confidence in our relationship led to something as special and valuable as our bond is now. I know that I always have someone there for me, and my mom unbelievably gives me the strength and confidence to always believe in myself.
For those struggling with problems with their moms, do not give up on the relationship. For my mom and me, our problems were far from deep, but they did prevent us from fully extending our relationship to the degree it is at currently. Moving away from home, reexamining what it means to be a daughter, and giving my mom and myself a second chance has brought my mom and I to an entire new level friendship and adoration for one another. I cannot rave more about Pammy, the best woman I have ever met who luckily just so happens to my mother. Her sarcasm and hilarious attitude, coupled with her positive outlook on life, are inspiring. When I think of my mom, the popular quote comes to mind: “A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.” Pretty accurate, I’d say, because my mom is irreplaceable.
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