Growing up with a mom that has become my best friend is something that I truly treasure. She is the only person that I can 100 percent without a doubt trust with anything. She is the one who encourages me to be the best version of myself and keeps me motivated when I have lost sight of my goals.

But our relationship hasn't always been like this. We had to work at it just like any other relationship and we have had more than a few bumps in the road, but looking back we have come so far.

Don't get me wrong, she is still my parent and she still disciplines me and tells me what to do. That is what I believe to be the biggest misconception about relationships such as this. People do not understand that she can still parent me and be a friend figure to me. She plays both roles so well and I respect her when she is in "mom mode" and this is how to make a relationship like this work. You have to understand boundaries and realize that she is still your mother and deserves that respect. This is where the line is drawn from those who play the cool mom role, where you can clearly see when things are being taken seriously and they are not.

Since going away to school and being out of the house I have gained a new level of respect for her. I don't think I would be able to physically support myself if she hadn't given me the encouragement and the tools to do so. She has instilled this independence in me that I also see in her, the bravery that she displays has rubbed off on me, and so has her ambition. She has given me what I need to go into the world and lead a driven life, all because I have watched her do it for 19 years. I have watched her chase her dreams, fall short at times and pick herself back up and try again and succeed, and continue to strive to be and do the things that she wants. She is my mother, my inspiration, and my very best friend and I wouldn't want it any other way.

There is no bond in my life that has been this close, she is my role model. My role model to be a good worker in my future career, my role model to be a good woman in society today, my role model to be a good friend to those around me, and my role model to be an outstanding mother someday. Every day I learn new things about her that I admire and I hope that one day I can be half the woman that she is today.

If you know this feeling or have this close of a bond in your life I encourage you to tell these people. It is so important to tell people that you believe in them and see what they are doing and that it makes you proud.