My Mom is My Hero

What exactly is a mom? According to Urban Dictionary, it is "the woman who loves you unconditionally from birth, the one who puts her kids before herself and the one who you can always count on above everyone else." I love this definition because this is exactly how I view my mother. My mom has loved me unconditionally for twenty-two years. She has loved me through the crazy and tiring little kid days, the awkward and uncomfortable preteen years, the moody teenage years, and now, during my transitioning twenties. She put my sister and I before herself so many times. My family lacked monetary funds for a good portion of my upbringing, but my mom was always determined to make sure my sister and I never missed out--she wore hand-me-downs in order to buy my sister and I nice clothes. Now that I am older, there is probably no one I trust more than my mom. When I have a bad day, I call her. When I have a good day, I call her. My mom is there for me in all the ups and downs of life.

Growing up with a mental illness is not easy, but I was one of the lucky ones. My mom also has a mental illness, and I was fortunate to have someone who could actually understand; I was fortunate to have a mother who was willing to talk with me and allow me to admit my mental health concerns. I know I took her for granted sometimes, but no one will ever truly know how thankful I am for my mom. Without my mom, it is a possibility that I would be dead right now (that is a harsh, but true fact). If not, I might be on drugs or in an institution. I have no judgement for anyone who has committed suicide, faced drug addiction, or had to spend time in an institution; I am just fully confident that I would not be where I am without my mom's encouragement or guiding hand.

Even at a young age, I knew I was "different." I never really felt like I fit in, but I was always trying to. My mom was the first person to make me feel like I belong. She loved me just for being me. She loved me for my weird and goofy quirks, for however many showers I took in a day, for my incessant hand washing; she loved me when I was happy and when I was mad. She loved me when I laughed, and she loved me when I cried. She loved me when I was the nicest child on the planet and when I became the devil. She loved me through all the mood-swings and through all it took to discover me.

I am forever grateful for a woman like my mom. I know this post seems like it is a lot about me--my mom loving me for all the good and bad that I am. It's really just about her. She is an amazing woman. She is strong, courageous, loud, fun, caring, sassy, and so much more. She is what I aspire to be as a woman and a mom. She has endured so much in her lifetime, yet she still finds a reason to keep trying. My mom is my hero; there is no other way to say it.

Happy Mother's Day, mom! I love you more than words can say! XOXO