I have had the same friends since I was 8 years old. We have all played soccer together since that time and miraculously remained friends through the hardships and fights in high school. I can honestly say that I consider most of those girls my best friends to date. But, there is one individual who has been my friend for longer than 10 years. This person has been consoling me through meltdowns, hugging me whenever she thought I needed it and has been a true friend that wants nothing more than the best for me since the day I was born! Who is this person you may ask? My mom.

Most girls grow close to their mom when they leave home, because they miss them and want to talk to them, but I was fortunate enough to grow close to my mom during high school. She has always been the first person I run to when something exciting, scary or sad happens. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t call my mom when something happens. I’m not going to pretend and act like we have the perfect relationship, because we most definitely do not, but I wouldn’t give up any of our moments because it has allowed us to be where we are today. My mom and I are extremely close, and leaving her this past week for college has been an emotional roller coaster. The first thing you want to do in your house during your final semester of high school is get out! You want to leave and be on your own and decide how to live your own life. Well, as soon as I got to college, I wanted nothing more than to be with my mom and talk with her. Of course, her advice never fails and I have ended up loving college…so far.

One of the things that I admire most about my mom is the drive, work ethic and traits that my mom instilled in my brother and I since we were little kids. My mom, like most moms, is under appreciated, overworked and talked to like crap for the most part. Despite all of the terrible things that happen through her day, she is still the most caring and loving individual to everyone that she meets. She is consistently polite and goes out of her way to make sure that everyone is having a good day before she can even destress from her own. She always makes sure that she works hard, no matter what the circumstances are. From a young age, homework was something that needed to be good, and good grades were not an option, but an expectation. If we were going to do something, we were going to do it whole-heartedly and not give a half-assed effort, or we were not going to participate. I thank her, because without that consistent nagging, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today; Someone striving for a good education and giving my all to everything that is thrown my way.

So, all the young girls and boys out there who don’t appreciate your moms, please listen up!!! Some days are going to be hard, and some days you are going to want to punch through a wall because of how annoyed you are. That is absolutely okay. BUT, some day you are going to be alone and lonely, and the only person you will want to talk to is your mom. The only person that has truly watched you grow and has supported you since the day you were born. She is the person that has done nothing but want the best for you and has pushed you to become a better you. Appreciate your parents, say thank you and please, talk to them with respect and listen and abide by their rules. In the long run (I hate to say it), most parents are usually right when they tell you something. So, send your mom an extra “I love you” tonight, and I am sure that it will make her day, because although all we want to do is make them proud...they just want to know that we are doing okay, too.

I love you, Mom.