In honor of it being Mother’s Day and just a particularly difficult time in life right now, I felt it was the perfect time to list just a few of the reasons why moms are the absolute best and deserve all the credit. I’m very grateful to have a very loving and strong relationship with my mother, but please use this list as a reference to all mother figures in your life, whether that be grandmothers, aunts, step-mothers, adoptive mothers, the mom friend that always takes care of you or any other category that applies. A mom is such a broad term, and I think we consider moms as such loving people because it almost acts as a general term for love. So sit back, grab a snack, read through and get ready to call your mom and send some love.
- Hugs!
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Of course, this is the first thing on the list. Also, hugs are an underrated feeling of joy, so let’s begin here, shall we? I also invite this to be an open debate for everyone to argue who in their life gives the best hugs. I just think that’s a cute concept, like everyone just screaming how loving the people in their life are. There’s also just something special about getting a hug when you really need a hug. Especially in a time when hugs are a bit more infrequent, the idea of one is really getting me through right now.
- Being Sick Doesn’t Feel as Bad
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I have this vivid memory of going to Kelleys Island with my friend when I was around 10 and I got really sick somehow. So quick shoutout to my poor friend’s mom and dad for making sure I still had fun. But my favorite part was when I came home and my mom had a ton of jello made because “she thought of me and wanted to make me jello for when I came home.” Also, having someone take care of you when you’re sick is a different kind of love, my friends. I am somehow one of the lucky people that gets sick almost every month, and my mom always calls me essentially daily if I’m at school to check up on me or makes me grilled cheese and soup when I’m home. It’s just comforting to have fewer things to worry about in a time when you really don’t feel like worrying about things.
- Learning
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I have a very vivid memory of learning how to ride a two-wheeler, and I don’t know if this is a common thing, but I had the absolute best experience. I’m a twin, so a lot of firsts I’ve had have been with my best friend by my side, but this one we did separately. However, when I was a kid and got to do things with just me and my mom or just me and my dad, it was a rarity that little me loved, and riding a two-wheeler was one of them! I remember my mom was so excited that I wanted to try it, and if you’re a parent, I just want you to know that that made 5-year-old me feel so confident and empowered, so take that as you will. And when we got to the park and went on the grassy part in case I fell, I started going and just kept going, and when I say my mom was the loudest person in the park screaming, I truly mean it. She was so loud that other park attendees started cheering me on and as unknowing as I was at five years old, I knew that I was believed in and loved. Also, in case you were wondering, this carried on to when I ran track in high school, my mom was well known because the other track kids could hear her from the stands cheering me on at every single meet. Long story short, when someone is given the power to believe in themselves, no matter how old or young they may be, it can change how they see themselves, and possibly even allow them to become their happiest, most empowered self.
- Conversations Seem Easier
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My favorite thing in the world is talking, so this may be a bit biased. I’m a talker, and I love nothing more than a good conversation. And when I get to talk with my mom, a lot of conversations often revolve around the future, and then I just get super excited for life and my future. It’s something I really didn’t realize was that good for my mental health until maybe a year or two ago, but if you’re ever feeling pretty down and need to get out of a slump, first of all, move around. If you allow your brain to gain access to an unhealthy mindset and you let it stay, it will. If you move around, talk to people, make a better home for your happy self, that’s the healthiest thing I’ve personally experienced. Even if you don’t want to talk about whatever is making you feel kind of out of it, talk about things that make you happy. I built this life in my mind that’s kind of like a mental mood board for my future (or if you want to make a physical one, more power to ya!) and it actually helped me so much when I wasn’t able to physically talk to someone. I essentially create these pictures in my mind of what I want my future house and future self to look like and how I’m going to own so many plants, adopt a dog, have a mini library outside my house and just make myself excited for all the things to come. I want to stress as well, however, how important it is to talk about the things you are going through with someone you trust and feel comfortable with when you can. My person tends to be my mom or my sister, but obviously this is just a preference, you do you!
- It Just Feels Like Home
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Have you ever been in a place and your mom/mother figure visits and she immediately makes herself comfortable and makes things more comfortable for you? Every time that I’ve gone through the process of moving into a dorm and my mom has come in, she always makes a point to make it feel like as much of a home as possible. Do you know that feeling of contentment where you just breathe and smile? Like yes the world is imperfect and there is always more to come, but this… this is good. I feel like that’s the feeling of a good, healthy relationship. It may even be a relationship with yourself, another relative, friend or others. I really hope you know that feeling. For me I always think of sunlight, late nights drive, radio singalongs and such pure happiness. I don’t know if everyone does this, but I tend to relate feelings a lot between each other, if that makes sense. So being home and being able to call a place home and mean it is kind of like that. It’s this overwhelming feeling of contentment and happiness.
Although this is only a list of five things, there are thousands of other ways moms of all kinds make us feel comfortable and like the people we hope to be. I encourage you to hopefully see this almost as a love letter to all mother figures in their life, and maybe now you have a reason to give them a call or a hug. Pass on the love!