We heard the statement "mothers know best" in the midst of just about every tiff we had with our moms when growing up. And, when I was 15 and dating a guy my mom did not necessarily approve of, I wished that statement was not true. I hoped that I knew better. However, I knew in the back of mind that I would look back and wish I listened to her.
And, I do.
Since then, I have realized that the maternal insight is nothing to be taken lightly. Each heart-to-heart and every piece of advice comes from a special place in a mom's heart, making it more meaningful than anyone else's.
There are three simple reasons why I will always, always, always listen to my mom.
1. She wants what is best for me.
There are a lot of people that support me and want me to do my best outside of my family, yet there is nothing quite like the support of my mom because it comes out of pure love. My mom supports me in everything I do and everything I do not do; she loves me for exactly who I am. Let’s say, I wanted to move across the country for an okay job after graduation. Most of my friends would pat me on the back and say, “Congratulations!” Maybe even buy me a beer or two to celebrate. And that is awesome. My mom, on the other hand, would make me weigh out the pros and cons and really make me think about it. She would not want me to make an abrupt move on a passing wave of happiness. If the negatives realistically outweighed the positives, she would not let me be miserable across the country (mostly because she would be the one hearing about it). If I really, really, really wanted the job, she would support me 100 percent. When it comes to guys, she knows what I deserve and she will not let me settle for anything less. Sometimes, she has had a clearer view of what I deserve than I do. In the past, it was not always what I wanted to hear, but I thank God she told me. That tough, motherly love, the one that makes you really think, is rare and is a force to be reckoned with.
2. She has most likely been there before.
Do you ever say or do something and you pause to reflect that you are turning into your mother? It happens to me more and more frequently as I get older. I want to be just like my mom, so I do not mind it. It is weird, but I do not mind it. It also proves to me that whatever I am going through and whatever I am thinking, my mom probably has as well. We often think the same things in both the light and the pressing situations. When I ask her what I should do in random scenarios, with friends, family, guys, or life in general, I listen to what she has to say. She can often compare what I need advice on to something she experienced in her life. It is reassuring too because the decisions she made resulted in the life and the family we have now. She is living proof that it all works out.
3. She knows me better than I know myself.
The best example of this is my mom picked out my major for me, the major that I love. I was completely lost when trying to decide what the heck I wanted to do with my life. I took weird personality quizzes online that insisted some random job that I have never heard of was the right job for me. My mom read up on journalism and communication jobs and told me I would be great at it. She explained the ins and outs (from what she read online) and could see me loving it. Honestly, I did not even put up a fight. I just said, “Yeah, okay. Sounds good.” I knew she was probably right. Four years later, I can confirm she absolutely was. In that instance, and in so many more, she makes me question whether or not she is a psychic. Realistically, she just knows me better than I know myself.
Cheers to you, Mom. Thank you for being the best mom and the best friend.
