Mom,
You are the person who knew me first. You carried me in your womb for nine months and two days, your loving hands placed protectively over your tummy. You catered to the little human you could not yet see, avoiding the foods you already knew I didn't like and preparing for my arrival onto this earth with tenderness in your heart. And even though you did that job to completion, when I took that first breath of air, you knew it had only just begun.
When I took my first steps, it was you cheering me on. You bought me my first pair of shoes and chased after the little ball of energy you created as I discovered the world around me. You have been with me for every step since, cheering me on when I hit the game winning softball, made the Dean's List, and graduated from college. You praised every photograph I ever took (even the crappy ones) and read every poem I ever wrote (even though they made you cry sometimes). You constantly guided me to be my very best self in everything that I did.
More importantly, you have been there for each and every fall. You cleaned off my scraped and bleeding knees with rubbing alcohol and a sympathetic squeeze of my hand. You sat with me through every breakup with enough grace to not tell me "told you so." When I didn’t do well on a test or get a job that I wanted, you pushed me to keep going and do better. To this day, you still sit with me on the phone while I cry, bursting with positivity and kindness.
Mom, you are my person. As a child, I couldn’t survive without you in a physical way. Now, in my twenties, I know I could never be able to survive without you in an emotional way. I can't think of anyone I'd rather call when something great happens in my life, or turn to when the worst befalls me. You are the undying force of light in my life, my biggest cheerleader, and my very best friend. You inspire me with your incredible compassion, optimism, brilliance, insightfulness, and wisdom. Moving away from you to start my life was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, and my heart still clenches every time I have to hug you goodbye. I don’t think I will ever have the perfect words (and I know quite a few) to explain how important you are to me. Thank you for this day, every day, and all of my life. I love you.
