For as long as I can remember, my mother has always been by my side. For a long while, I unfortunately saw this as a burden. I thought it "cramped my style" that my mother was so caring and involved in my life; and for the longest time, all I wanted was to be independent from her completely. But, as I’ve grown up and matured, I’ve really understood that the bond I share with my mother -- that the friendship that we have -- is the most important relationship in my life.

Let me preface with this. I’ve never felt like I’ve had a physical home. As I’ve gone off to college, I tell people that Charleston, where I attend school, is my home. For all intents and purposes, it is. But when I really think of the word home and what it means to me, the only thing I can think of is my mother. It doesn’t matter where I am or what is going on in my life, if I’m having a bad day and want to go home, it means that I want to pick up the phone and call my mother. I wish, that earlier in life, I had realized that the bond I share with my mother was something to take full advantage of and to utilize whenever possible. I wish I had realized sooner that I could talk to my mom about anything, that I could be open and honest with her, and that we could share things together. While I do wish I realized this sooner, I’m so glad that I’ve realized it now. I am so proud to tell people that my mother really is my best friend.

So, without further ado, here is a little wisdom I’ve learned over the past 19 years as to why being best friends with your mom really is the absolute best.

1. You can talk to your mom about anything. Most moms have been where you’ve been and remember what it was like to be your age. They are open to sharing their experiences with you and listening to yours. I know for a fact I can talk to my mom about anything. While she may be concerned or worried about me, not once has she ever judged me or condemned me for my actions. My mom remembers being my age and has stories of her own (without going into full detail, she once shared a story with me about going to a DMV to get a license that wasn’t in her name...or age) that I can relate to. Moms are awesome in life lessons because they’ve been where you’ve been or know someone who has gone through what you are going through. They make amazing people to have by your side and talk to about whatever it is that you’re going through.

2. A mother’s love is unconditional. Mothers love wholeheartedly. It is this kind of unquestioning and relentless love that makes moms the ultimate best friends. We all know that friends love one another through thick and thin. That best friends are someone who are always there for you from when you look and feel your worst, to when you look and feel your best. Moms have seen it all when it comes to their children. They’ve seen you at your absolute worst and at your absolute best and they still love you. If you think about it, it’s pretty incredible. I’m still surprised that my mom and I are best friends and love one another after I think about how whiny and horrible of a preteen and teenager I was (and still can be). But to my mom, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter because she still loves me and respects me -- which makes an amazing best friend. We can fight and we can argue, but at the end of the day, I can call up my mom, apologize, and we can share a laugh.

3. Moms keep the best secrets. Have a crush on someone? Mad at one of your friends? No worries -- there is always someone you can tell: your mother. Moms have kept your secrets since the beginning of time, and just because you’ve aged a bit doesn’t mean that your mom can’t keep secrets anymore. One of the best things about being best friends with my mom is that is no matter what I tell her -- if I tell her not to tell anyone, she won’t. The freedom to be open and honest without fear of gossip or rumors is one of the most freeing and wonderful feelings someone can have. Mothers are great at being able to keep your business just that -- YOUR business. Mothers are basically artful spies, gifted in the area of keeping things confidential. You can tell your mom your darkest secrets, and she’ll keep it under wraps.

4. Your mother understands you like no one else does. Your mother has known you for nine months longer than you’ve known yourself. I think often, as a society, people forget that mothers housed them for nine months. Our mothers got to know us before we even really knew ourselves. They’ve known us, watched us grow, and raised us since day one and because of that, sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. Knowing someone, truly knowing someone, is an essential part of an amazing friendship. Moms just know. One look is all it takes for my mother to know how I’m feeling and having that ability is great for our friendship. Sometimes, words are hard and when a friend can just look at you and immediately understand what is wrong or how you’re feeling, that’s when you know you’ve found a lifelong friend. Moms have already known us longer than we’ve known ourselves, and what’s better than having a friend who knows you better than you? Nothing.

At the end of the day, moms really are the MVPs. They know us. They understand us. And they love us. Why not take full advantage of that, and have the best friendship of your life? There really is nothing quite like the bond between a mother and her child -- and capitalizing on that, using that to have a solid friendship, is something that is unlike anything else.