Dear Mom,

Now that I’m older and living on my own, I’ve realized the importance of your help and presence my whole entire life growing up. Although I know you’ll always be there when I need you and you’re only a phone call away, your life lessons and unconditional love has made me the woman that I am today. So I just want to say thank you, because I know that I never say it enough.

Thank you for always being there for me when nobody else wasn’t. You always told me I could count on you and I never really realized the impact and significance of those words until I needed you the most.

Thank you for raising me and shaping me into who I am today. Without your endless support, amazing advice, Cuban life lessons (yes, those exist), and constant reminders to be the best version of myself, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Thank you for sacrificing so much for your children in order to raise them. I know being a single mother cannot be easy, but you made it look so graceful and possible that I never really realized how much work you put into making my life and my brother’s life the best it could be.

Thank you for always texting me, and making sure I’m okay. I know that nobody in my life is ever going to love or care for me the way that you do, and there’s no love like the love you have for me and the love I have for you.

Mom, I appreciate all of the small things you do for me and I look forward to them every single day. From the funny, sarcastic text messages to the simple goodnight texts every night, I know you’re always thinking about me.

Because of you mom, I am who I am today.

Because of your sacrifices mom, I’ve gotten to the point that I am today.

Because of your love mom, I’ll always know that family and love are more than just words.

Now that I’m older, I realize how annoying and stubborn I was and could be. I realize the endless fights and arguments we’ve had over stupid reasons that I can’t even remember off the top of my head. I remember the door slams and the eye rolls and the constant screaming. And yet, you still call me every night to say goodnight. You still think about me constantly to make sure that I am okay. You still love me and I love you, no matter what.

I don’t know where I’d be or who I’d be if you weren’t in my life, Mom.

And for that, I want to thank you.

Love,

Your Daughter