Mommy and Me

If there's anything my mother's relationships have taught me, it's this: Sometimes, things just don't work out, no matter how badly you want them to. Sometimes, it's better to be alone than stay with someone who hurts you, intentionally or not. My mother is like me; we want to make things work, even at the cost of ourselves. We're optimistic and hope for the best, even if the situation ultimately seems hopeless. We're not afraid of hard work, but know what we're not willing to take.

You see, I see all my strengths and weaknesses in my mother. I see the way she gives and gives and once she gets burned, she still insists on touching the stove. I see the way she stands up for what she believes is right. I see how clever she is. I see how critical she can be. My mother is 39 years older than me, but we are the same. All the things she is, is me.

But my mommy is wiser than me, for she has 39 years of experiences that I don't have. I am young, naive, and foolish of heart in her eyes. In me, she sees herself, the mistakes she made when she was young and the very best things about her. She sees how hard I try, how deeply I love, and how hard I fall. She sees her fiery, yet calculated disposition that burns inside of me. She understands my reaching for the stars while sleeping in the sewers. I am 39 years younger than my mother, but we are the same. All the things I am, is her.

Our 39-year age difference serves only as a mirror between the future and the past. My mommy and I share so much of the same things: sorrow, life's small joys, will, shrewdness... If I could look through the mirror and advise my mother, I would tell her to not let people hurt her, even if love makes her weak. I would say: Be stronger than your circumstances and you'll always succeed. Know you are compassionate. Know you are worth more than you know. Don't be a martyr. It is these same things that she would say to me, through the mirror. But really, when we talk, all we see is our reflections looking back at us.