This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to have my mom and sister come visit me in Philadelphia. Let me tell you, it was one of the best weekends of my life. Not only was it a chance for me to get off campus and eat non-dining hall food, but it was time spent with my two best friends. Gallivanting around Philly in hurricane force wind and below freezing temps, eating the best soft pretzel I’ve ever had in Reading Terminal Market (New York pretzels are far inferior to Philly pretzels), and just relaxing in the hotel together reminded me of how blessed I am to have such close, loving relationships with my mom and my sister -- something I truly take for granted.
It seems cliché to call my mom my best friend, and even more cliché to call my sister my other best friend, but it’s true and it’s awesome. However, what better way to describe the wonderfulness of having close mother/daughter bonds than with the classic, genuine example: Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. (It’s also a fabulous way to pay tribute to the Netflix Gods for giving us diehard "Gilmore Girls" fans four more episodes later this year.)
Moms get you better than anyone else does and probably ever will.
Moms have a sort of sixth sense when it comes to understanding their kids, so it is no surprise that they’d make great friends. You are made the same genes, for Pete’s sake! Even if you and your mom seem to be living on opposite ends of the earth, there will always be those moments where your mom is the only one who truly understand, who knows exactly what to do. Whether it be when you are feeling down about the smallest thing or when you are happy about something completely random, a mom will always get it. Or at the very least, pretend to get it because -- let’s be honest -- she kinda has to.
Your mom always knows best, even if the advice she gives at the time seems incorrect.
Moms love to give the “mother knows best” speech which often falls on deaf ears, but usually they do know best. Not only do they have an acute understanding of you as an individual(see above), but they have a good decade or two worth of knowledge more than you. Moms only get a bad rep for preaching that they know best because usually what they say is not what we want to hear. So next time your mom claims to know what the best course of action is, try listening. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something.
You will always have a bond with your mom.
To be blunt, she birthed you and that is something that will never change. But in the end it’s not really about the nine months you spent in her womb, but all the moments after that. I can count on my mom for anything and everything--from laundry mishaps to friend drama to motivation. You two are uniquely connected, so embrace it and make the most of it. You only get one mom.
She is an ever-present support system.
Even when you don’t listen to you mother’s advice and end up in a bad situation, she will always be there to console you. That’s the other cool thing about moms -- even if you make a mistake they have to forgive you. As your non-familial friends come and go as you progress through life, your mom will always be there to guide and support you. I live for my mom’s ridiculously cute text messages during the day and she never ceases to bring a smile to my face.
It all comes down to this: it is inevitable that you will encounter new people throughout your entire life, but do not lose sight of the friend you have in your mom.
