Mom,

Let me start off by saying that I'm sorry for every time in the past, present and future that I have been and will be short with you. I come by my temper honestly. I'm sorry that I take everything that you do for granted on a day-to-day basis. I'm sorry that I have given you all of that gray hair.

Thank you for being (semi) patient with me. Thank you for supporting me through all of my phases, my arguments, the long tear-filled nights of college (I'm sure there's more to come), the times that I thought I knew what I was doing when I clearly didn't. Thank you for supporting me through the protests and marches recently, even though you might not agree with the fight. Thank you for sticking up for me when I can't stick up for myself. Thank you for cooking me food and taking out the trash when it just has way too many germs for me. Thank you for letting me travel all over the country (and the world), even though you generally don't understand my need to travel so much. Thank you for raising me to be myself and not what others wanted me to be. Thank you for showing me who my real friends are and pointing out the fake ones. Thank you for being strong when I couldn't be. Thank you for all of the little things. Thank you for pushing me to try new things. Thank you for taking me skating all the time when I was younger. Thank you for being patient with me when I call a million times to ask how to do something or where something is. Thank you for raising me like you did. Thank you for making my boo boos better then, and now. I could go on and on, but I really want to say, thank you for being you.

We may not get along sometimes. But I am happy that God chose you to be my mom. I have watched you go through things that I would break down in, but instead you handled them like a boss. You have helped me in more ways than you can ever know. Even when I have really messed up, or like that time I came home with a tattoo, I know that when you cool down, you will still love me. You are an inspiration to so many people in your life, but none of them look up to you the way that I do. I admire that you are so kind and so loving towards others. You are my role model and my hero. I love you, mom. Never stop being you.