When you grow up friends and materialistic things are what are the most important. We have all been there when friends want to go to the mall Friday nights, and how everyone needed to have the newest designer bag. Or we would do things like hide away from our friends to kiss our mom’s goodbye when they dropped us off at a party. But you see as you get older those friends start to fade and the materialistic things seem to become less important. The parties become boring and full of drama, and before you know it people change. But the one thing that does not change is that your mom is still there.

When I was younger I never fell into the party phase or even going out with friends often. I would rather stay home and watch movies, or study (yes, I am a nerd). But even then, I did not realize what I exactly had in front of me. I had a loving family, but my mom was patiently waiting for the moment where I would realize that people and exams will come and go, but she will remain there for me no matter what.

So below is a list of things that I think we all forget to be thankful for when it comes to our mothers

1. Treat every day like it is Mother’s Day for your mom.

Mother’s Day is a great day to show appreciation for everything mom’s do. But why should we just stop at one day? They cannot just stop being your mom, so treat them. Now I do not mean treat them with materialistic things 24/7, but doing little things like cleaning the house, making her dinner, lightening the load more so that when she comes home from work she can take 20 minutes to herself at least. Always tell your mom that you love her, even when she makes you mad over things she does not want you to do. She is just trying to keep you safe.

2. Respect her sacrifices.

She gave you life. Regardless of the back story of whether or not you were planned or not, she still sacrificed her temple to bring you into this world. Being pregnant is not easy. The female body takes a complete 180 and for 9 months you are the main priority. My mother fought for me. There were complications and she decided to have me anyways because even though she never met me face to face, I was already a part of here. She fought for me before day one and she still is.

3. Mom’s do not sleep.

They stay up worrying. I mean think about it… everyone has done things that their parents tried to help them avoid doing. You know it is wrong when you do things they try to teach you not to do. Imagine putting yourself in their shoes. Imagine you have a child that is 16 years old going to a high school party on a Saturday night. Imagine your kid being a freshman in college and trying to fit in and is going out every night because they know they do not have to answer to anyone when they go home. We have heard horror stories about kids who die from things that could have been prevented. Things most parents teach us to watch out for and get away from if it is near. Just imagine not being able to be there during those times and trusting your own with their life when they have no clue how brutal, unfair, and scary the world is. So, the moral of this rant is to always text your mom goodnight and good morning so that when they go to bed they know you are okay, and when they wake up they know you made it through the night.

4. Reality.

One day our mom’s will not be here. They will not be a phone call away or a text. They won’t be here to tell you their opinion or experiences when you’re going through a difficult time. That is why you should always answer that phone call whether or not you know you will get yelled at or not because one day her name might not come up on your phone and that is when you wish you answered all those times your hit ignore when you were with friends. Moms are here to prepare you for the blessings and sorrows in life. They do their best to guide you for as long as they can until you take matters into your own hands and create your own life. So just listen. Things might not make sense at the time, but one day they will.

5. Say I love you.

Mad, sad, angry, frustrated, happy, excited… always tell her you love her. Moms have bad days too, but they protect us from knowing the hard things they deal with. They are like superwomen who can put their worries and bad days aside to make yours worthwhile. They love you especially when you are hard to love. Remember to be patient with them because one day you will understand where they were coming from. Every child makes mistakes and moms understand that. So, love your mom. Write her notes. Tell her you love her. Because sometimes she needs to know that she is loved too.

So, go hug your mom and thank her for being HER. Thank her for giving you life, being strict at times, and loving you through the good and the bad. And most importantly be thankful that your mom is there going through your life journey right by your side. I know I will.

From one very lucky daughter to another.

Stay True,

Montana Joleen