So many people have told me I’m a spitting image of my mom and I can’t thank them enough. If I turn out to be half the person my mom is, then I will feel blessed. I have the self-confidence that I have today because I know that I’m so much like her.

I’m glad that I acquired so many of her traits. I think I admire her positivity the most. My mom has always been the best at seeing the brighter side to a situation. She defuses me in an instant and reassures me that nothing is as bad as I’m making it seem. But more than that, she carries a happy heart in her daily life. I catch myself saying the things she grew up hearing and then repeating to us like, “everything is better with Blue Bonnet on it” and “Gee, your hair smells Terrific.” But also teaching me that food “goes down the same way”, that it doesn’t matter if it looks icky.

I love that she doesn’t worry about what others think. The way she sings only a few lines of a song without knowing what the actual song is or who it’s by but making it her own and singing it loud and proud. She taught me to “be loud and proud” in everything I do and if someone doesn’t like that, then they didn’t matter that much after all.

My mom is also the strongest person I have ever known and I’m the weakest, most anxious person I’ve ever known but when I’m scared or am in a difficult situation, I remind myself about my mother’s strength and think what she would tell me if she was here. Most of the time, she’d say that I’ll be just fine, there’s nothing to worry about, to sleep it off and then tell me that she’s always going to have my back. After I think about that, I don’t feel so scared or weak anymore; I feel like I’m a lot stronger than I think I am.

I think both my mom and I have an adventurous heart. I think I got that from her. I have always had a curiosity for the world, to find new places and meet new people. As I’m growing older and experiencing more things, I wonder if this is what my mom felt when she was starting out-nervous but excited.

More than anything, I see my mom in myself in the way I care for others. When people say that I’m the “mom” of the group and I act just like my mom, I couldn’t be more flattered. Knowing that others feel cared for the way I feel cared for from my mom is so great. When I’m with my friends, I am always the one who makes sure the sunscreen is packed, there are “snicky-snacks”, there is always a bottle of aspirin, but also that they are buckled in, have enough blankets and pillows, that they are loved. I picked that up from my mom and from the love she’s shown me my whole life.

So thank you mom, for molding me to be your mini-me I’m so grateful I turned out just like you.