I am not a parent, nor do I know how to raise a child. But I know one thing for sure: when that day comes and I have a child of my own, I cannot wait to be the kind of mother that my mom was and still is to me. My mom was the first friend I ever had and the most important person in my life. There is no better person who could’ve raised me the way that she has.

As a young girl, I often spent a lot of time searching for my best friend – attempting to find that one person who would carry me through my best and worst times, picking me up when I fall or cheering me on at sporting events. It was not until I reached adulthood that I realized my best friend was always there. My mom picked me up when I fell, she loved me through both my greatest and most awful moments, and she was my biggest cheerleader. All a girl truly needs is her mom and a best friend. I was lucky enough to receive both of those in one person.

Of course we went through my hormonal teenage phase. We have definitely had our fair share of arguments, but no matter what we go through, she has always supported, provided, guided and most importantly, loved me in ways that no other human on this planet possibly could.

I cannot think of a better person to call my best friend. She has seen me at some of my highest points in life. She has also seen me at my worst, where I wasn’t entirely sure if I could make it back from hitting rock bottom. The entire time, she held her arms wide open and supported me through absolutely everything.

Together, we have faced life head on and hand in hand. She is one of the few people who have never made me feel less than I should. She has never once allowed me to feel as if I am alone in this world. To some, our relationship may be rare, but to me, it's a gift. I may not exactly tell my mom every little detail of my life, but she still knows basically everything about me and has never once judged me or used it against me. I may not have seen my mom every single day when I went away to college, but that didn’t mean our relationship changed. While there are a few decades between my mother and I, I feel closest to her than anyone else. We just get each other. I am her, and she is me. The older I get, the more alike we become, and it's the most terrifying, yet beautiful sight in the world.

So here is to you, Mom. Thank you for being everything that you are. Thank you for teaching me what it means to be a woman and to work hard for what I want. Thank you for being my best friend because without you, I would not be who I am today. You’re the best person I have ever met, and I truly could not have made it this far without your love and support. I love you so much!