“First my mother, forever my friend.” So true. The truth is, I can’t imagine not being as close with my mom as I am, and I feel extremely lucky to be able to have that kind of a relationship with her.
When I was younger, she drove me from dance practices, school, extra curricular activities, everything imaginable. That much time in a car, you really get to know a person. Not only as a mother figure: she embodies the qualities I find in my best friends, she embodies the things I’m striving for. Strength, intelligence, bravery, beauty, honesty, everything that a mother should be. The reality is, I get the best of both worlds. True, we don’t stay up until 4 a.m. when I come home, sharing a bottle of wine and gabbing about boys. But there isn’t one thing I can’t tell her without feeling scared and the minute we do get together or talk on the phone, one of us can’t end the conversation.
So, what is it like being close with your mom?
1. I know her favorite type of wine… and she knows mine. Coincidentally it is the same…
2. I know that she actually enjoys all the music I play in the car, and I am totally the one that got her hooked on Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift. (P.S. Mom, you are welcome.)
3. I know that if I get in a situation where I need help, where I am in trouble, or I am not sure what to do, I know I can turn to her and not feel scared.
4. I know that on the days I don’t feel myself, or I’m just “so over everything” I can count on her for a shopping trip, ice cream, or some California Pizza Kitchen.
5. Like a good friend, she isn’t always on my side when it comes to fights or arguments with friends, boyfriends or anyone else, and she will always give an honest and objective opinion.
6. Speaking of honesty, she will ALWAYS give me an honest opinion of clothing, what looks good, what doesn’t. (It is hard to tell someone that they don’t look their best in something, am I right ladies?) But she does it with respect and best intentions, even though I probably glare at her the whole way home because “that crop top looked great on me and she totally doesn’t know what she is talking about.”
7. Sometimes I call her... false: I call her basically every day for really no reason just because I feel like talking to her.
8. She is my biggest supporter in everything I do, whether it is a new job, an A on a test or even that I worked out that day. (Thanks for the encouragement mom.)
9. I never feel judged and I never feel weird being myself around her, because I know at one point she was probably just as weird as me. (And she has to love me, right?)
10. When it all comes down to it, I know she isn’t just a mother, a friend, but a role model, a woman that holds the qualities that I hope to one day hold.
If I wasn’t as close with my mom, I don’t really know what I would do, as cheesy as that may sound. I would have no one to help me when I’m in trouble, no one to tell me I am being ridiculous, no one to show me how to be strong in awful situations, how to be truly honest without hurting people, how to be professional, how to be a good person, friend, daughter, sister and everything in between.
She is a woman of strength, grace, class, maturity, honesty, beauty, talent and patience. First my mother, forever my friend: I couldn’t be more happy and honored to have someone to teach me for the past 19 years about how to be the girl I want to be.
Being close with your mom isn’t weird, and it isn’t a bad thing. It’s something I treasure hope to continue, and so should every girl out there.
Love, Catherine
P.S: Pam, thanks for being the coolest mom around.
