From the second you’re born, the first person you love, and the first person to love you, is your mom. You spend the first 10 or so years of your life adoring her, following her around, learning from her, worshipping her. But then, those annoying preteen and teenage years get in the way. Suddenly it isn’t cool to openly love your mom and you find yourself too embarrassed to say “I love you too” when you hang up with her on the phone. You wouldn’t want to be caught dead grocery shopping with her on the weekends and you forbid her from speaking to your friends because you know anything she says will be dorky and mom-ish. It’s a phase everyone goes through, but that doesn’t make you feel any less guilty looking back on it. All you can do is hopefully repay her for all the grief you gave her when you were 14 and cared too much about the social caste system of middle school to be a good daughter. So, here’s to you, Mom.

When I was younger, my mom and I did not have that best friend relationship some kids have with their parents. I have to admit, I was a little jealous of my friends who could say or do whatever they wanted in front of their moms without getting in trouble, but now I’m grateful for the boundaries we had. I never swore in front of my mom, and I didn’t gossip to her about boys or confide in her my darkest secrets, but in a way, I think that’s how it’s supposed to be at that age. I can’t say there could ever be a time when I wouldn’t respect my mom, but if she had treated me like a friend instead of a daughter, it would’ve been hard to respect her rules. That’s not to say my mom was strict by any means, but I’d like to think she didn’t have to be, because I really wasn’t a problem child at all, although she might beg to differ.

Now that I’m in college and most of my immaturity is behind me, I can say, unashamed, that my mom is one of my best friends. Granted, I still don’t tell her everything because I care very much about her health and wouldn’t want to send her into cardiac arrest, but we’ve definitely grown closer over the past year, and I couldn’t be happier. I know I can count on my mom for literally anything, and no words can express how grateful I am for that. When I’m stressed out from school even a five minute conversation over Facebook messenger can instantly turn my mood around. Nothing makes me feel better than my mom saying, “it’s going to be okay” or “I believe in you.”

I swear, one of the best moments in life is the realization that your embarrassment of your mom was all on you and she’s actually the best person in the world. I mean, of course she’s going to embarrass you from time to time, but would she really be your mom if she didn’t? There’s not one embarrassing moment I would take back throughout the years because now, they’re just a reason to laugh.

Some girls hear the words, “you’re just like your mother!” and cringe, however I consider this a huge compliment. My mom is without a doubt the nicest, warmest, kind-hearted person I know, and for someone to tell me I’m half as sweet as she is, is flattering beyond words. Not to mention the fact my mom is the most beautiful woman I know, so to be told I look like her is really something special.

With that in mind, though, it’s important to note one of my favorite things about my mom is her ability to let me grow and be my own person. Yes, we are alike in many ways, but we’re also different, and that’s OK. I’m stubborn and opinionated, but my mom handles me like a champ and keeps me in line when my sassiness gets out of control. She has always supported me, even when she doesn’t agree with me, and that means so much to me. She’s guided me in the right direction when I’ve gotten off course, but has let me find my own way when I’ve needed to, and without her taking that step back, I may not have learned some of life’s most important lessons.

The biggest thing I hope my mom, and all moms, take away from this article is that we wish you could see yourselves from our point of view. My mom is strong in ways I can’t begin to describe. She’s selfless and deserves more than she gets. I hate when she’s sad or discouraged, and I especially hate when she’s down on herself, because, mom, you are perfect. I could never in a million years ask for someone better than you. Whether you’ve magically found a shirt I spent two hours looking for, or you’re driving two hours to visit me at college just because you miss me, you’re the epitome of the best mom in the whole entire world, and I hope someday I can be half the woman and mom you are.