Today is Mother’s Day…a day for us to show our mothers and grandmothers some love and give our thanks for all they do. And I don’t even know where to start with mine.

I am so lucky to have been as close as I am with my mother all these years. It may not seem like it all the time, but I am beyond grateful for every single thing my mom has done for me. Whatever I needed, she would bust her butt to make it happen for me. If I had a school function or special event, she’d drop everything she was doing to make it there. I wanted to go to camp, she would do whatever she had to do to get me there. I wanted to go to a Broadway show, she would give up her night and make sure I got to see it. Time after time, she would put my needs (and the needs of my family) before her own. And she never asked for a single thing in return.

I’m reminded of a part at the end of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie where Barbie meets her creator, who tells her “We mothers stand still, so our daughters can look back to see how far they’ve come”, and that really made me think about all the sacrifices my mom made for me and my family. However, while my mom has always prioritized everyone else’s needs, I’m so glad she has also begun to focus on her own as my brother and I have gotten older, whether that’s by going to the gym so she can feel her best, or taking the time to hang out with her friends, or even just taking a few minutes in the morning to meditate. She has in turn taught me to sometimes take a step back and take a moment for myself.

That’s not the only thing my mom has taught me. There are too many things my mom has taught me to share in a single post. However, there’s one thing in particular that my mom has taught me, which is to never settle for average. She has constantly inspired me to put my best foot forward, whether that came to friendships, finding a job, schoolwork…you name it. She’s the one who taught me that you have to think big to make it big. If not for her advice, I may not have made the decision to jumpstart my legal career and go back for my paralegal certificate last year.

There is no way I could make a Mother’s Day post without acknowledging my grandma, who also played a huge role in my life. I grew up two doors down from my grandparents, so I spent a good deal of time with my grandma. She and my grandpa always made sure each visit was nothing short of an adventure. A lot of the time, my grandma would pick me up from school and help me with my homework. Sometimes I would rush through it so I could watch some TV or play some games before my dad came to pick me up, but my grandma wouldn’t let me leave the dining room table until it was perfect. Having lived with ADHD nearly my entire life, my grandma knew one of my biggest struggles was staying focused, and this definitely made schoolwork even more challenging, but she always made it a point to make sure I was staying focused and on task. Not only that, my grandma has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She and my grandpa always showed up when I had an event or special occasion, no matter how big or small. There is no way I could have gotten this far without her support.

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, my grandmother, and all the moms out there!