With finals currently ruining lives across the country, it's easy to forget that Mother's Day is just around the corner. Before going out and buying her that candle or bottle of perfume, let's reflect on all that our moms have done for us.
Starting with the obvious, our moms are the ones that brought us into this world. We literally would not be wherever we are without her. She spent nine months of gaining weight, getting sick, and giving up wine (something no middle-aged woman, or anyone really, wants to do) just for us. She bought maternity clothes, couldn't bend down to put her shoes on, and suffered through unimaginable hormones fur us. We should be thanking her every day for that.
Our moms have taught us almost everything we know. In elementary school, she taught us how to tie our shoes, ride a bike, and do times tables. She packed our lunch and was always waiting for us at the bus stop after school. She let you try out every sport and went to every game, regardless of how cold it was or how bad our team was. She watched us walk across the stage during fifth grade graduation and praised us like it was the most important moment of our lives.
In middle school, she taught us that teenage girls are dramatic and teenage boys are useless. She loved us even with our knee-high socks, atrocious side bangs, and constant attitude. She helped us with our math homework (until our skills passed hers) and helped prepare us for the nightmare that was high school.
Once we got there, she showed us how to drive a car, making sure we didn't speed, and always checked our mirrors. She pushed us to get involved at school because she knew we'd need to make a resume. She comforted us after our first heartbreak. She dragged us on endless college visits and asked way too many questions, and eventually helped us make the big decision. And she cried when she had to drop you off for good.
We owe a lot to our moms. This Sunday, don't just give her a cheap gift and move on. Make the day about her. Spend time with her: watch her favorite movies, make her favorite meal, take her out shopping, and thank her for all the Mom things she's done. Our moms love us and would do anything just to spend quality time with us. Even though saying, "I don't need a present, you're my present," is annoying and unhelpful, it really is true. All that moms want is to spend time with their families. And when Monday morning comes around, thank her again. Celebrate Mother's Day every day. We'd be nowhere without her.
