37 Things My Mother Taught Me

Dear Mom,

Today I woke up feeling anxious, sad and mad. I feel this way because you’re not here.

It makes me sad that you’re not here and it makes me anxious to think about all the beautiful Mother’s Day posts that will be scattered all over social media today. It makes me mad because the way I feel is not fair. I’m 37 years old and I don’t get any more mother’s days with my mother.

THAT’S NOT FAIR! It’s stupid and I hate it.

I thought about what you would want for me on this day and although the pain is omnipresent, I’m trying to push past it and think only of the good. So, today, I will be thankful for things you taught me before leaving this earth. Below are the first 37 I could think of…

Thank you for teaching me:

what it means to love unconditionally
how to forgive someone when they’ve broken my heart
that life although rarely fair, is always beautiful
to believe in something greater than myself
that respect is earned
to trust my instincts because they’re almost always right
that it’s sometimes better to be alone than in the wrong company
to always do my best and give 100 percent regardless of the task
how to cook meals filled with love and Mexican spices
that education is the key to a better future
to never give up even when I want to so badly
that a woman is just as strong, if not stronger, than any man
how to make homemade pie crust
it’s OK to let an opportunity, someone or something go if it doesn’t make you happy
that peace and answers can be found in scripture
to trust my heart when my head is unsure
nobody owes you anything – you have to work hard for what you want
how to be a loving mother and a kind soul
as difficult as it is to do, turn the other cheek
that a phone call to your mom can change everything
how to bake pies and cakes and cookies from scratch
when in doubt, pray
that family is everything
if you start something, finish it
how to plant and care for a garden
how to maintain faith when faced with great trials and tribulations
that I am stronger than I know
to never let a man, my weight or what others think of me, dictate my happiness
not to treat people differently, because everyone is the same in God’s eyes
to cherish loved ones because they won’t always be around
how to cook Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd
that being a supportive mother sometimes means letting your children fend for themselves
how to sew on a button, fix a hem and mend a tear
that you can always add ingredients, but can’t so easily remove them
not to let negative people influence the way I feel
that God is good. Always.
that being a mother is the greatest gift of all