For most of my life, I've had people tell me that I'm "just like Rory" and that my mom is "just like Lorelai" from Gilmore Girls. Not every part of our story is the same as the television show: my parents are happily married, and my brother and I were born after my parents got married. But the character dynamics are more or less the same, because my mom is my best friend.
Not many teenage girls or college students are willing to say something like that, that their mom is their friend. It is so normalized today to have that typical "mother-daughter" relationship where there is constant bickering. I have witnessed too many of my girl friends suffer through constant battles with their moms and I have always considered myself so fortunate to never have that ordeal. Luckily, that point in my relationship with my mom was brief and I can turn to her with anything.
In the pilot episode, Lorelai's friend Luke Danes says, "Rory, please, put down that cup of coffee. You do not want to grow up to be like your mom." To which Rory replies, "Sorry, too late!" This especially resonates with me when thinking about my relationship with my mom, because we share the same coffee addiction and attitude. Usually people are hitting the middle of their life when they realize they are turning to their parents, but that has already hit me before I turned 20.
Lorelai and Rory are known for their relationship because of their humor and references that no one else will understand. My mom and I have the same senses of humor and make each other laugh harder than anyone else. In the show, Lorelai and Rory have a "mother-daughter thing" where they take home each other a meatball when they go on dates. My mom and I have the same thing going on a smaller scale, where we take each other the little jams that go on tables at restaurants every time either of us goes out to breakfast. Also, we make the same television, movie, and music references and inside joke references that most people around us will never understand. And of course, we love to make fun of each other just as much.
A big part of having a relationship like Lorelai and Rory is being able to talk to each other about anything and everything. Being away at college out of state has highlighted this point of our relationship, because I call and text my mom about every detail of my day, and she does the same for me. FaceTime is great to talk to all of my family whenever we want, but I've been able to call my mom every time I get overwhelmed or need someone to talk to.
Another big part of the Gilmore's relationship is being able to lean on each other through hard times. After going through a breakup, I leaned on my mom the most for support. In Gilmore Girls, every time Rory or Lorelai went through a breakup, they leaned on each other to wallow and then get stronger and build each other up. My mom helped me through this period of my life and still is my rock.
Speaking of being my rock, my mom has been an driving force in my life to help me do the best I can do in all aspects of my life. In Rory's high school graduation speech in the show, she says, "My ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend. The dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life's blood. As she guided me through these incredible 18 years, I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her." This is absolutely true for me, because I have lived my life always trying to be as strong, fair, funny, witty, and such a genuine good person as my mom, and she will always be my crazy best friend.
