The idea of being like my mother used to haunt me as a kid. I can try to blame it on Jamie Lee Curtis' and Lindsay Lohan's "Freaky Friday" portrayal but in reality, I was just being stubborn and overly into the idea of being my own person.
I really couldn't tell you when it happened but somewhere along the way, I outgrew my ridiculous, teenage self-righteous beliefs and realized that my mom wasn't just the woman who brought me into this world; she was my best friend, too and someone who I aspired to be like with every passing day.
I could give you a million reasons as to how I came to this conclusion but for now, I'll settle with five.
Here's to you, Mom.
1. She's the first person I call with good news... or any kind of news for that matter.
Promotion at work? Questions on how to manage my credit card? Had chicken nuggets for lunch? Call mom. Maybe it's just been a crappy day and I need to hear her voice or maybe I need to rant about how I just binged watched Friends for the 1,000th time and Ross and Rachel were so NOT on a break. Moral of the story: my mom is my go to person with anything/everything under the sun and she's never more than a phone call away.
2. Sometimes, however, words fail but that's okay because we can just as easily communicate to each other via facial expressions.
We've all been in those weird, public situations where the right words just can't seem to find their place. It's these moments that are met with shrugs, uncontrollable laughter, eye rolls or in some cases, interpretive dance moves that no one but my mom and I can understand. It's a bond like no other and I absolutely adore it.
3. It's impossible to hold a grudge against her, no matter how hard I try.
Maybe she gave me advice that I didn't want to hear or maybe she ate my leftovers from the night before without asking. Regardless of the fact, staying mad at my mom is like trying to sneeze with my eyes open: it just doesn't work and it never looks or feels right.
4. Mother/Daughter dates are vital to my existence and it saddens me when they have to be rescheduled, even if it's only for a few days.
Whether it's going to catch a movie or staying in to binge watch Game of Thrones and catch up on gossip, one on one time with my mom just can't be beat. It will always be something to look forward to and it totally ruins my mood when our schedules don't match up, forcing us to reschedule for another day.
5. Those moments when I realize I'm becoming more and more like her with every passing day and I'm totally okay with it.
I drink my coffee with the same french vanilla creamer and I always, ALWAYS triple check the doors/windows at night to make sure they're locked. I don't bother with makeup for trips to the grocery store anymore and I never buy chips unless they're salt and vinegar flavored. When people tell me that I'm "just like my mother," I just smile and say "Thanks!" I've made peace with the fact that my mom is actually pretty cool and being like her is all I've ever really wanted.
Life without you would be totally boring, Mom. Thank you for being you.
