Dear Mom,
I wanted to start this by saying how much I appreciate you. All of our laughs, tears, love, momentary hate, anger and everything else has made me who I am today. Every single moment you and I have been mother and daughter, it has been amazing. We love, laugh, cry, cause mischief and just be us no matter what. It has been and always will be you and I against the world.
In my young 20 years, you have taught me so many valuable things. You taught me that I, and only I, can control my fate. You've drilled into my head for as long as I can remember that I am strong, powerful, smart. You've told me since day one that I am a woman, and I make my life to be what I decide as worth it, with or without the help of any man.
You have shown me what this wonderful world can offer. From day one of kindergarten, until today and every day after, you've shown me nothing but encouragement. You've told me to never give up and to never stop. In the wonderfully wise words of 5 Seconds of Summer, from their song "Don't Stop" you've always told me "don't stop doin' what you're doin'." From graduating high school in 2013, to being an education major, a biology major and finally now a Communications in Media Arts: Journalism (or just Journalism for short) major, you've always encouraged me to follow my dreams.
I admit, I made some dumb choices while trying to figure life out. I'm almost 21 years old and I don't have anywhere near a quarter of life figured out. I know my name is Paige, I'm a student, I have a job, I love hockey and 5SOS and One Direction and Harry Potter (and Justin Bieber but I won't say it out loud.)
I thought I had boys figured out, but you were there to guide me out of my horrendous relationship with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named/You-Know-Who (no, not Lord Voldemort.) "My mama don't like you, and she likes everyone." is probably the wisest thing I've ever heard the Biebs say. You like everyone, and I should have listened when you said you didn't like him.
Sometimes I wish I listened to you more than I did. Telling me to do my homework before going to the mall, picking up that extra shift at work instead of going to Yankee Stadium, cleaning my room before doing this or doing that. I admit, even now I still give you lip about stupid things like cleaning the kitchen or doing the dishes or getting up for class. But the times I did listen, even if it didn't seem like it, I learned a little lesson that has helped me so much in life.
How have you put up with me for 20 years? All my music phases first of all. You sat through Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, Aaron Carter, the Jonas Brothers AND a 5 Seconds of Summer concert (remember, Mikey is on our left, Luke in the middle, Calum on the right and Ashton is in the back.) Gosh, how did you deal with my fan girl phases?
Hockey. You watched me fall helplessly and hopelessly in love with a sport where men chase each other on sharp knife-shoes, skating after a small piece of rubber, trying to hit each other with sticks. You've spent hours upon hours of your days and nights at Madison Square Garden. You even got your own NYR jersey and that makes me so happy.
I could keep typing, but if I did this would need 102 different open letters for me to list all of the amazing things about you. I don't think I ever could stop loving you, caring for you, appreciating you.
Thank you, mom. Thank you for being my guiding force, my biggest fan, my worst enemy, my closest friend. Thank you for taking my hand in yours and showing me this big, bad world and how to make it mine. Thank you for taking me to Disney and Harry Potter World and the Zoo and MSG and every other single place we've been. Thank you for every Starbucks drink and Slurpee and meal we've shared. Thank you for being my rock, my best friend, my encouragement and my safety. Thank you for always giving me a place where I can be safe, happy, comforted. Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on when I need it and for being the one to make me smile when the tears come. Thank you, for being my mom. I love you so much, to the moon and back.
"Don't forget where you belong, home. If you ever feel alone, don't. You are never on your own" - Don't Forget Where You Belong by One Direction.
Love,
Your Daughter, forever and always,
Paige.
PS: I'm sorry for being a pain in the butt and I promise I'll clean my room the next time you ask :)
