Throughout any child’s life, I can guarantee that one of the most frequently asked questions is, “Who is your biggest role model?”
For me, my answer has never changed.
If there is one person in this world who has shown me how to live a life of love and compassion, it is my mom.
My mom is my best friend, my biggest inspiration, and the person I can turn to no matter what life throws my way.
She has always been there to celebrate my accomplishments, comfort me on my worst days, and remind me of my worth every single day. No matter how old I get or how much my life changes, I know I will always have someone in my corner.
She has shown me the true meaning of unconditional love. Every “I love you” is followed by “to the moon and back,” and her actions have never once shown me anything different.
She never expects more than I am able to give, gives all she has to everyone around her, and never asks for anything in return. She has put every fiber of her being into raising her children with her whole heart, often putting our happiness and needs before her own.
The older I get, the more I realize just how much love, patience, and sacrifice that truly takes.
My mom has taught me that I am capable of anything I set my mind to, but more importantly, she has taught me that she will be right by my side every step of the way.
She has never made me feel like my dreams are too big or my goals are out of reach. Instead, she encourages me to chase them, even when I am unsure of myself.
Every signed card, every cheesy Facebook post, and every one of her perfectly crafted inspirational talks centers around the words, “You were born to move mountains.”
Those words may seem simple, but they have become something I carry with me through every challenge and every new opportunity.
It is something she never lets me forget.
There is never a surprise when I accomplish something great, because she has always believed I was capable of it. There is never disappointment when I fall short, because she reminds me that one setback does not define me. Even when I am worried I might falter, she continues to believe in me, sometimes more than I believe in myself.
Her confidence in me has taught me to have confidence in myself, and that is a gift I will carry for the rest of my life.
There are many days when I worry I may fall short as her daughter. I wonder how I could ever repay a woman who has so selflessly devoted her entire life to helping me become the best person I can be.
How do you really thank someone who has given you more love and support than words could ever express? If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think I ever fully could. I can only hope to make her proud and carry the lessons she has taught me in everything I do.
As I grow older, I find myself understanding her sacrifices more deeply and appreciating the little things that I may have once taken for granted. I hope that one day I can give others even a fraction of the love, encouragement, and kindness she has given me. If I can become even half the woman she is, I will be so incredibly lucky.
My mom has shaped the person I am today, and I know she will continue to shape the person I become.
She is proof that the greatest role models do not have to be found in books, on television, or in the world around us. Sometimes, they are the people who have been guiding us from the very beginning.
No matter where life takes me, I will always look to her as my greatest example of the kind of person I hope to be.
After all, if there is anyone worth following, it is her.