You did read that right.

My mom and I argue; we don't always get along. I don't always tell her everything that goes on in my life, nor does she. Sometimes she gets on my last nerve, I know that she can say the same. We do not have a picture perfect relationship. Nobody does, certainly not in my case. But that is not the reason we are not best friends.

Every mom has priorities. They may be similar or they may be different. My mom went about her priorities in a different way from what you commonly see, or what's cool. My mom's priorities were to be a mother before a friend. That does not mean she was any less loving or any less of a mom.

There are different ways to go about parenting and all parents are different. But there are certain things that a mom can teach you that a friend can't. There are certain things that a mom can do in general that a friend can't. You can't always have two things at once.

Your mom is the first person you have a connection with. The first person you see as you come into the world. The person you look up to from the beginning. There is a difference between a motherly relationship and a friendship and my mother separated them. Not to be mean, but for my benefit. She raised me in the way she thought to be best.

My mom and I still go out together. She still buys me things, listens to me, texts me, does about most of the things you would look to see for in a mom. My mom wanted to make sure she taught me, disciplined me, and raised me, and put that first before anything else - before becoming my friend. She decided to show me what's right to do before showing me what I want to do. She chose not to let me go everywhere, not to do whatever I want, but to have rules to follow - and to stick to them before being my friend.

I can still be close with my mom. I can still have a strong relationship with her. I can still lean on her for help. She supplies me with what I need every day. I can still love my mom, just not as a friend.