10 Things You Should Stop And Thank Your Mom For Right Now

While I no longer live under my parent’s roof, that has only caused me to further appreciate everything my parents have done for me. And now that it’s almost Mother’s Day, I can’t help but think of hundreds of reasons I am thankful for my mom. Rather than write out all 100 reasons, I’ve decided to condense it into ten.

1. Thanks for putting up with my endless grade school drama.

From cat fights to hopeless crushes to endless rants about my teachers and friends, you listened through it all. Not only did you listen, but you helped pull me out of my petty thoughts and allowed me to see new perspectives.

2. Thanks for pushing me to always do my best.

No B’s were allowed under your watch. No bad behavior was acceptable. It may have seemed strict at the time, but you pushed me to achieve high academic and moral goals and kept me accountable for my mistakes.

3. Thanks for allowing me to make mistakes.

I didn’t always achieve those high academic and moral goals, and when I didn’t, you showed me grace. You showed me how to correct my errors, and allowed me to work through my own mistakes.

4. Thanks for always being there for me.

When I had my first car crash, you were there in minutes. When I had my first breakup, you were by my side. When I prepared to walk down the isle, you kept everything in order.

5. Thanks for taking my friends under your wing.

You listened to my friends and helped them through their problems. You threw them birthday parties. You joined in on our fun and made us laugh until we couldn’t breath. You bought us McDonalds even though you told us not to ask. You took us all over town when you had better things to do. You knew more about my friends than some of their own parents did.

6. Thanks for taking me to church.

You made me go to church every time the doors were open. There was no sleeping in on Sunday mornings, or skipping church on Wednesdays. I may have complained at the time, but I am now reaping the rewards of your consistency and faithfulness in leading me.

7. Thanks for giving up your career for me.

Now that I have my own new career, I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you to give up yours in favor of raising me. Thanks for giving up your community at work. Thanks for giving up advancement in your job. I know for a fact if you had stayed a nurse all those years, you would have been in charge of the whole floor by now! Thanks for choosing to drop me off at school instead and picking me up right on time. Thanks for making homemade meals, coming to all of my games, and for allowing me to play outside until the sun started to set.

8. Thanks for nurturing my talents.

Thanks for all those years of piano practice that I fought you and dad about year after year. Thanks for putting me in sports when I was content to play with my Barbies. You pushed me out of my comfort zones both physically and artistically, and I will always be thankful for that.

9. Thanks for allowing me to dream.

Thanks for giving me space, both literally and figuratively, to create stories in my head, use my imagination, and write. You read the poems I wrote and encouraged me to write even better. You listened to my ideas and prompted me to think deeper. You taught me to think critically, and I now use those skills every day. Thanks for seeing the importance of music, literature, art, and sports, and allowing me to pursue my own passions.

10. Thanks for instilling work ethic in me.

You chose to make me work for my wants rather than handing me everything I asked for. I know I through fits, and it would have been easier for you to give in, but you chose not to. You made me grind; there was no sitting around when I could be putting my time to use. As an adult, I am now powering through life without stopping to look back. I couldn’t be doing that without you molding me in such a way.

Thanks mom, for everything. Without you, I don’t know where I’d be.