Dear Mom,
Now that I am a mother, I owe you an extremely long thank you note:
Thank you for every stinkin’ thing. Thank you for cleaning my little baby body. Thank you for singing the same ridiculous song over and over just to hear me laugh. Thank you for convincing me to eat vegetables. Thank you for teaching me to tie my shoelaces on our front porch. Thank you for separating my sister and I when we misbehaved. Thank you for braiding my hair, playing Barbies, and letting me watch I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeannie, and Bewitched on Nick at Nite on warm summer nights. Thank you for walking me to school, driving me to school, and picking me up after band practice, debate team meetings, French club: the list is endless. Thank you for buying me a purple paisley shirt at The Gap which I wore so often I think it wore out in a couple of years! Thank you for taking me on long walks through the woods all over the county. Thank you for every day you let me stay home from school just because. Thank you for every formal dress, cool pair of jeans, and new school shoes. Thank you for taking me to Mass and countless fish frys, Christmas in Julys at the nursing homes, and other volunteer events. Thank you for teaching me how to drive because daddy made me cry every time. Thank you for valuing my education and making the transition to adulthood fairly easy. Thank you for raising me with the ability to cope with life and handle being a mother myself. There is no earthly way I could do what I’m doing without the knowledge that you did it, too, and came out on the other side awesome.
Being a mom in today’s world is TOUGH. There is a constant struggle to find what’s right for you as a parent when it is so quick and easy to see what others are doing. I know that I flounder less because you are such a great mom and I take so much inspiration from you and knowing that what I remember from growing up are the things listed above. I don’t remember being yelled at, being grounded, the times we were late for things (ok, I do remember being late but it was never a deal breaker.) I was always secure in your love for me and that keeps me going on the worst days I have as a mother because I know my kids will say the same. What else matters?
Love,
Priscilla
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