Mom

Hey Mom,
I think I can remember everything you've ever said to me, which means a lot because I can barely remember what my professors are lecturing about. I think there are lots of points in my life when I took you for granted, but that changed a lot during 2001 and especially when my sister/your daughter went to college. I think those two years brought us a lot closer together. I opened up a lot to you and I'm damn glad I did because it just seems too easy for people to try and separate themselves from their parents as much as possible.

And I think moving away from home has made me realize everything you've done for me. I don't know how you did it, but you've somehow made me into who I am. You somehow found the delicate balance between being a hovering parent to a not so much hovering parent? You get it.

I went through a phase when I thought you weren't proud of me and that you thought I would never amount to anything. I remember perfectly when I called you at work, crying, to tell you that I was rejected from UCSB and you simply said you loved me. For some reason that was all I needed to hear. Then when you dropped me off at UCI, you hugged me and told me you were so proud of me and I will never do anything to give that up.

You know I tell a lot of people about you at school and all of them have said they think you're really cool (which is a word I don't normally associate with you, just kidding) and they say it sounds like we have a really close relationship and I can confidently say that we do.

I love you, Mom. You're the strongest person I know. There's a lot more I can say, but I can't get it all out right now.

wildwombat