In lieu of Mother's Day and the 22 years that I've been so honored to spend with my mom, I've compiled a list of some of the greatest lessons she's taught me thus far.
1. Be grateful
My mama taught me to be always be appreciative of everything I've ever had. She never once allowed me to take for granted having clean clothes on my back, hot food on my table, and a warm bed to sleep in every night. She taught me to be grateful for every gift, every opportunity, every chance that I ever received. She made sure that I knew to be thankful for the little things, the simple things, the bare necessities, because not everyone has them.
2. Be independent
From the age of 16, my mama taught me to work for everything that I had. She taught me the value of a dollar and how to save and invest every penny I earned. She taught me not to rely on anyone else, not even her, for the things that I wanted in life. She taught me to be headstrong and to present myself with integrity so that I could blossom into the strong, independent woman I've become.
3. Be respectful
Regardless of age or authority, my mama taught me to respect everyone. She encouraged me not to make assumptions about or place discrimination upon anyone before getting to know them, but she also taught me to demand respect. She taught me to give what I thought I deserved and to expect the very same in return.
4. Value yourself
As a young girl, it's difficult to grow up knowing your worth when popular culture labels you as less than a human being because your appearance doesn't meet beauty standards, but my mama always taught me that my character and my intelligence were far more important than what I wore or how I looked. She taught me to work every day to better myself on the inside, to gain inner beauty, and to love myself wholly and completely.
5. Work hard
My mama has been a blue collar worker almost all of her life, and she's taught me that nothing was ever accomplished unless you worked hard for it. Whether it was a comprehensive final in a college course or a split shift at my part-time job, my mama taught me to give everything my all. She taught me to devote 110 percent of myself to every endeavor that I pursued, because that's the key to lifelong success and happiness.
6. Play hard
Vacations tended to be scarce in my middle class family, but when they happened, they were long, relaxing, and well-deserved. My mama taught me to cherish the fun that I had, because it was a reward for all of the hard work I'd done. She taught me how to let everything go—the stress of school and work—and to just live in the moment, because I would never get that minute back, so why not live it in peace and happiness?
7. Love harder
My mama taught me to love everyone that I've ever cared about as much and as deeply as I can, because you never know how long you've got with them. It's as simple as that.
8. Be ambitious
Since I can remember, my mama has always supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams. At a very young age, she taught me to set a goal for myself and to always think of it, especially when I was struggling and times were hard. She taught me that I should never give up, because anything is possible for anyone. She taught me to always expect and demand more out of life, even after every goal I'd set had been achieved, because life is boring without ambition to drive you.
9. Be practical
Practicality has always been of the utmost importance to my mama. She has always taught me to live within my means and to never aspire to anything that was beyond a reasonable and sensible achievement. She taught me to by my best, not anyone else's, and she taught me to value experiences and relationships apart from possessions and material things. She taught me to live like the average person would and to find fulfillment in every day life, not to dwell on the hopes of an extraordinary one.
10. Be happy
This is, by far, the most important lesson that my mama has taught me. My happiness has always been a priority in her life, and as I grow older, she makes it a point to ensure that my happiness is my primary concern in my life. She's taught me that I can do whatever I want to do in life so long as I remain safe and happy. Nothing else matters, really, because there's no joy to be found in life if you can't live it every day.
To all moms, thank you for the lessons that you've taught and continue to teach us—your children, and thank you for being our guides through life. You are all more important and more loved than you will ever know. Happy Mother's Day!
