Moms are supposed to be a lot of things in your life; they are supposed to be your provider, your protector, your guidance, and your support. And then there are the extra lucky ones who get to grow up with their mom as their best friend. After almost 2 decades of friendship, I am at a loss for words to thank my oldest friend for the impact she has made on my life. Most of them she probably doesn't even realize because they were hidden in the quiet moments.

Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

Growing up, we have dreams and they normally start out big and as time slips through the grasp of our fingers we are told to make attainable goals. We live in a world where we are judged for the things we want and the things we have. Whatever my dream has been, whether it be my passion for dance, or my love for words, she has encouraged me in the most sincere way that my dreams are valid, and that they are possible.

Thank you for teaching me what it means to be selfless.

I have never met someone who cares so deeply for others more than herself. She would sacrifice anything and everything to make an opportunity possible for me. The amount of times I remember her doing something for herself can be counted on one hand. She has generously given me all of her time; after a long day of work she would come home, make dinner, and spend countless hours a week at the studio with me. There has never been a limit at to which she would stop to make sure I felt loved and cared for.

Thank you for being someone I can always confide in.

One of the biggest blessings of her being my best friend was that she was always there for me. It didn’t matter how big or small it was, she was there to listen to me vent about how annoyed I was about practice, about how the teacher was being unfair, or about the latest drama of my ever fascinating adolescent life. I didn’t have to run to a friend’s house if I was having a bad day, all I had to do was run upstairs and give her a look and she always just knew. Without words being spoken she knew whether I needed a hug or just an ear to listen. It was truly humbling growing up with a mom who I was able to share my highs and my achingly low, lows with.

Thank you for sharing my pain.

I dread the day my daughter comes home and I see that her heart is shattered in a way that will bring back the pain of my own heartbreak. After my first heartbreak I truly saw how deep her love for me was by the pain it brought her seeing me so broken. She taught me what it truly meant to be empathetic to others, and the true meaning of taking on someone else’s problems. That was the moment that I realized I was never alone in the pain of my life and I would always have one person who would remind me that my worth is not defined by someone’s inability to see it.

Thank you for being my best friend.

I cannot thank her enough for all of the hugs, kisses, hours of listening to the same story, the advice, and the unconditional love. She taught me a lot about life, but most importantly she taught me how to be a genuine friend and the best kind of person.