Since I have joined tumblr, I have come to appreciate my mother so much more than I ever had. I have seen countless post on here about repressive parents and about the resentment their children have for them and it has lead me to publicly thank my mother for everything she has and has not been. My entire life, all she has ever done is teach me how to be a wonderful human being, leading through her actions and words and I cannot be more grateful. She sent me to private school so I could get the education she never had, despite the costs. She has stayed up long nights with me discussing my fears and hopes and dreams and encouraging me and helping me to take action to achieve them. She explained to me that I shouldn't judge other girls for being what our society calls "sluts", but also made sure I realized that there was more to life than finding a man. She taught me to think for myself and let me listen in on "adult" conversations because it is important to learn about the world and make opinions even when you are young. She encouraged me to learn and to play and to spend time with my friends because that's all part of being a healthy person. She hugged me when I came home sobbing and told me everything would be okay. She encouraged me to be a leader and not worry if other people thought I was bossy because I wanted to take charge. She told my brother to respect me and all women. She taught me not to sink in, but to release myself and be who I wanted because the best people will love you for it. She told me it's okay to make mistakes, but also that I should learn from them and become better because of them. She told me she'd except me no matter who I become and that she will always be there for me, even when I've gone off into the world. She told me that the size of my body or shape of the features on my face does not define who I am and is beautiful not matter what other people tell me to believe. She encouraged me to read, to learn, to peruse my passions because life is short, yet we have infinite potential to do amazing things with the limited amount of years we have. She did all this because she didn't want me to have to raise myself and grow up not knowing that I'm not alone. The limitations of these words cannot express how much she means to me.
