There will never be enough words to describe the profound impact that my mother had on my life and still has. Losing her has been one of the hardest things that I have had to learn how to navigate. She was so much more than my mom. She was my role model, my hero, my best friend, and she was my home. She significantly impacted who I am today as a person.
Losing her changed me in ways that I could have never imagined. It changed my perspective on life. It changed my perspective of myself. And it changed my perspective of the world. The truth is, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. And if you’ve never lost someone close to you, you don’t understand.
You can’t.
My mom was my role model. While she was watching me grow up and figure myself out, I was watching her. My mom was selfless. She’d give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. She was loyal. She was courageous. She was kind. She never took any sort of bull crap from anyone when it came to her family. She was funny, and the sound of her laugh could fill the room. She was my best friend.
She was there for so many chapters of my life. I know she is still with me in spirit. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t give to keep growing up with my best friend. It still doesn’t feel real that she is gone.
Even though she is gone, I will always be her daughter. And that is something that I will continue to thank God for every day. I would not be the person I am today without my mom. She took a chance on me when nobody else wanted me. She saw a little girl who needed love when others saw disability. She taught me resilience, respect, and to treat people with kindness.
Her life didn’t end when she passed; her suffering did. Her love continues to live on through everyone whose life she touched. It lives on through me, through the lessons she taught me, and through the person she helped me become.
I miss you immensely, Mom.
I love you.