There’s something almost magical about reaching a point in life where you can sit across from your mom, coffee in hand, and just talk. Not about chores or curfews or why your laundry always smells like gym socks, but about life. Real, grown-up, beautiful, messy life.
I’m lucky enough to still have my mother around. That’s not something I take for granted, especially when I see so many friends my age who have already lost theirs. Mother’s Day brings a lot of emotions, but one that keeps bubbling to the top for me is gratitude. Deep, heartfelt gratitude. Because somewhere along the way, between scraped knees and teenage eye rolls, my mom became my friend.
Now don’t get me wrong, she’ll always be Mom. She still worries if I’ve eaten and yes, she still thinks I should bring a sweater just in case. But these days, we talk like adults. We share stories. We laugh, hard. We offer each other advice, vent frustrations and even swap book recommendations. Somehow, she’s gone from rule-enforcer to trusted confidante and honestly, she’s better at both than I ever gave her credit for.
Having your mom as your friend doesn’t mean the relationship loses its depth or sacredness. If anything, it grows stronger. It means you’ve lived enough life to finally understand hers a little better. It means you can appreciate her not just for what she did for you, but for who she is: a whole person with dreams, heartbreaks, quirks and wisdom.
So this Mother’s Day, I’m not just grateful for the woman who raised me, I’m grateful for the woman who gets me, the one who listens when I ramble, texts me memes and still manages to find the exact words I need to hear. Not everyone gets to experience that evolution, but I do. And that’s the best gift I could ever ask for.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Thanks for being the first friend I ever had and somehow, still the best one.
