My mother has always been the most consistent person in my life; consistently feeding me, consistently clothing me, consistently scolding me. But overall, she’s consistently loved me without faltering.

Being away from home makes you realize what you love from home. Material things like my bed, my own bathroom, homecookin, and bodegas are on my list of things I miss. However, how much I miss my mom is unmatched by any material possession. For me, the saying “you never know what you have till it’s gone” rings unmistakably true when I think of my momma.

Unbeknownst to me until recently, she’s served as a role model all my life. Even if I didn’t realize this growing up, everything she’s done for me and everything she’s done to get to where she is have served as a valuable lessons for me. The struggles she’s faced and the lessons she’s learned during her lifetime she’s instilled in me because she never wants me to experience the same distress she did.

She’s taught me to value myself and to never put up with anyone who is reckless with my heart while simultaneously teaching me to never be reckless with anyone else’s. Momma has given me my humanity, teaching me to “never treat anyone how you would not want to be treated”.

She’s always challenged me, frustrating me to no end, while I was growing up, but ultimately this resulted in strengthening me. My mother has always enforced the idea that “education is important”. In retrospect, because she forced me to do my homework immediately after I arrived home and encouraged me to take more challenging classes, I developed into a more hard working and ambitious individual. These two characteristics have been ingrained in me and I have carried them on into my early stages of adulthood; these may be some of the most important assets she’s given and are a blessing I am thankful beyond belief for.

Most importantly, she’s always been there giving me the love I didn’t know I needed. Although we are geographically separated, our long distance relationship has brought us even closer. Our video calls and messages are what have kept me sane during this experience abroad. With each call, I can see the look of relief on her face when she sees that I am alive and well. In each exchange, I try to show her how I’ve been using the skills to survive that she gave me. I’m a survivor because of my mother; I’ve made it because of her. Everything I’ve been able to accomplish successfully while overseas has everything to do with her.

She’s been an ear to listen whenever I didn’t have anyone to hear me. She’s been a voice for me in the rare times when I didn’t have the power to speak. She’s been a source of wisdom and advice from thousands of miles away compensating for the fact that she has not physically been here with me.

I want to take this moment to deeply thank my mother for not only everything she’s done for me but for being the tremendously strong and selfless woman that she is. Dedicating her life to being not just a mother but a good mother to all her children, where she far surpasses even that.