With International Womenâs Day behind us, itâs only natural that I take a moment to celebrate the woman whose shoes I aspire to fill every day – my mom. A treasure trove of wisdom and empowered energy, to know her is to love her. Through words as well as actions, my mom has laced her best lessons throughout my youth and young adulthood. Here are my personal favorites:
1. Your body is a temple.
Growing up, Whole Foods became somewhat of a second home to me. âDonât panic, itâs organic!â reads the sign above my kitchen stove, and with my mom, this certainly rings true. At times, my momâs health-nuttiness was a source for light-hearted teasing, but now more than ever, as a college student 400 miles away from home and living off microwave ramen, I miss her Sunday meal preps more than anything. My mom has always been the biggest proponent for self-care and prioritizing mental health. Through example, sheâs taught me that my body is my temple, and temples are not meant to be treated like shacks. We have only one body and one life. Eat some veggies and get some sleep for a change.
2. Breakups are best treated with brownies.
When I was a little girl, my mom always told me that when a boy inevitably broke my heart, sheâd have a batch of warm brownies waiting for me when I walked through the door. I always wondered why. When I went through my first major breakup with my boyfriend of nearly two years, I came to discover the answer. It was hidden in the chocolate brownie set on my nightstand when I couldnât get out of bed. Heartbreak is a gnawing ache that leaves you empty, but brownies and love are sweet and filling. Sometimes we need to be gentle with ourselves. Things get tough and life happens but weâre only human after all. Indulge in those feelings. Cradle them and take care of yourself, paying close attention to the places the world mightâve wounded you.
3. Kill them with kindness.
Backtrack to fifth grade as my mom is driving me home from school. Enter some crazy lady who just couldnât stand the fact that my mom was going an insanely fast two miles over the speed limit! In her infinite wisdom, she began to brake-check my mom. Yikes. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched my mom as a soft smile crept onto her face. When we pulled up to the light, I couldnât help but gasp as the crazy lady pulled up next to us and started screaming at my mom, flashing her the finger. âWatch this,â my mom said to me, calm as ever. She turned towards the raging woman⊠and smiled. My mom smiled and waved as if running into an old friend, and Iâll never forget how enraged that made the lady next to us. âKill them with kindness,â my mom later said to me as we pulled into the driveway. âSave yourself the energy.â Years and years and many annoying people later, I still try to keep that same mindset every day.
4. Blood is thicker than water.
Iâll admit that I experienced my fair share of âteenage angstâ in my adolescence; however, no matter how much I slammed doors and prided myself on rivaling my parents, my motherâs love for me never ceased – even when it probably shouldâve. My mom has always been there for me, working to support me and raise me up to become a good woman in ways both seen and unseen. While plenty of people have exited my life just as quickly as they entered, my mom has stood by my side through it all – even when I didnât deserve it. Her unfailing love has taught me that family is forever, and thatâs a fact.
5. Stand up for yourself.
Maybe itâs the âRican in her, but when it comes to defending all that she loves and believes in, my mother will fight back with an impassioned fury comparable to none. As wise and calm as she is naturally, good luck to you if you should say something that triggers her rapid hand gestures and New York accent. I love how deeply my mother cares. She puts her whole heart into everything she does, and sheâll go to her grave defending it.
Through her lessons, my mother has devoted all of her days to raising me to become a strong, confident young woman – just like her. Iâm so beyond grateful for her presence as my first role model in this life. Mom, if youâre reading this – I love you more than my luggage! When I celebrate International Womenâs Day, I celebrate women like you.
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