Dear Mom,
I know for a fact that I do not tell you nearly enough how thankful I am for everything you do for me, how much I love you, or how lucky I am to have you as my mom. Telling you these things every single day would still not be enough. Because how can I possibly express the amount of appreciation and admiration I have for the woman that not only gave birth to me, but who also raised me, taught me my values, cared for me, helped make me the person I am today, and loves me unconditionally? I cannot possibly give you everything that you have given me, however, I am hoping that this letter will help you realize that your efforts never go a day unnoticed.
To begin, I must address the first and foremost thing you have given to me, and that is the gift of life. You held me in your womb for 9 months and endured hours upon hours of pain during labor. 20 years later, and I am a junior in college with many hopes and dreams for the future. Your gift of life has given me the opportunity to grow and mature into a woman that seeks to create change and help others, the chance to learn and explore all of what the world offers me, and the ability to find happiness, love, and friendship.
However, simply giving birth to a child does not make you a mother. You became a mother the first second you left the hospital. You nurtured and cared for me from this moment on, gave me the tools to succeed and stand on my own, and instilled in me the values of kindness, unselfishness, compassion, and determination. You provided me with the skills needed to make my own decisions, but are always there if I need your motherly advice. You gave me my wings and taught me to fly, and now thanks to you, I am soaring.
I want to thank you for all of the time, money, and energy spent on making my childhood years the best I could imagine. Your “mom duties” went way beyond driving me to every ballet class and sports practice, doing my laundry, and cooking meals. You were my mentor and inspiration. You taught me many of life’s valuable lessons, including how to persevere after hitting an obstacle, the importance of hard work to achieve our goals, and how to be a role model for others. Even at age 20, I am still learning. You listen to me talk about my problems or ramble on about what I did in school that day. You take me on trips that allow me to explore the world and all it has to offer. You put in 11-hour work days to provide for me and make sure that I am not being deprived of having a single parent. You make so many sacrifices to make sure that my needs and wishes are met before your own.
To me, you are a “supermom.” As a single mom that has experienced the same loss that I have, you continue to be the best that you can be while showing more strength and resilience each and every day. You always look to take care of your children and loved ones before thinking once about what you can do for yourself. For that reason, I hope to become even half of the woman you are. I look at you and see an extraordinary woman – one that has gone through a lot of trauma, one that shows strength and courage no matter the situation, one that loves her children more than anything else in the world, and one that is beautiful both inside and out. Like all families, we are not perfect. We have our arguments, you have a bad day, I make a poor decision, we lose sight of who we are. But here’s the thing – no matter the situation, no matter how dark the tunnel seems, we always make it through to the other side. This is because the bond we have is inseparable. You are not only my mother, but my best friend, my motivator, my inspiration, my role model, my teacher, and my biggest supporter. So, thank you.
Thank you for putting up with me during my “terrible two’s” and my not-so-perfect teenage years. Thank you for always knowing exactly what to say when I’m feeling down. Thank you for bringing joy to me every single day. Thank you for doing all of the “dirty work” and not complaining one bit. Thank you for being there for me through not only the good times but the bad. Thank you for being you.
Thank you for being my mom, an extraordinary one at that.
