You might think I never hear what you say, Mom, but the truth is I live by your words everyday.
I stumbled upon this quote the other day and it hit me pretty hard. I know we all say we have the best mom, but I really do think mine is pretty high up there. When she isn’t watching trashy Real Housewives shows with me or singing while cooking in the kitchen, she is giving me little nuggets of wisdom that I hope to one day pass on to my daughter. In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing some of the most poignant pieces of advice she’s given me; things I have implemented into my own life and grown from.
You can’t expect to have the same friendship with everyone
My mom realized early on that you can’t try to force every friendship into one rigid category. You are going to be closer to some people than others, and you should enjoy the things you have in common with them. You can’t expect to be best friends with everyone, so accept each relationship for what it is.
Allow yourself to cry
Whenever I go through a tough time, whether it’s a friendship or a breakup, she always encourages me to cry and not hold my emotions in. Far too many people say “suck it up” or “hold it together,” but she believes in the therapeutic power of feeling a wave of grief pass over you and allowing yourself to let it out. It’s remarkable how much better I feel when I’m done.
Let it go
Long before Frozen turned it into a song, my mom has been whispering this in my ear. It is easy to forget that we are all human beings and that making mistakes is a part of life. By holding people accountable for every little thing they do wrong, you are only drowning yourself in bitterness. She constantly reminds me to let the small, insignificant things in the grand scheme of life fall into the background (usually through a text in the form of ##letitgo## because she hasn’t quite grasped hashtags yet). She will be the first to remind me I’m not perfect, so I shouldn’t expect it from others as well.
These are only just a few of the things my mom has taught me over the years. I truly think that because of her I have turned into the strong-willed, joyful and compassionate person I am today. I love you, Mom, and I appreciate the impact you have on me every single day. So, Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, including those who are no longer with us and those who have graciously stepped into a mother-figure role. Thank you for all you do.