She is the one who tucked me in at night and the one who dropped me off at my first day of school.
She helped me through hardships, heartbreak — you name it — she did it all. She is my superhero, my inspiration, my role model. The “she” I am speaking of is my best friend — my mom.
Growing up, I always had an unbreakable bond with my mom. Between shopping, watching movies and eating copious amounts of mint chocolate chip ice cream together, there wasn’t anything my mom and I didn’t do.
Nearly 22 years later, not a single thing has changed.
Savannah Cardon | Argonaut
As I sit nearly 300 miles away, the conversations and nightly hang-outs I would normally have with my mom have simply turned into phone calls, venting to her about the struggles of being a college student.
Without our consistent close-knit relationship throughout my life, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.
There are many useful things we can learn from our mothers, so it is important to embrace all a mom has to offer — even if that means embracing the chores and nagging every once in a while.
At a young age, many children were taught how to ride a bike, make their bed and brush their teeth, all by their mother.
These basics, although extremely useful, are just the beginning in the long line of lessons we can learn from our mothers.
As the saying goes, mother knows best.
Our mothers teach us how to be patient, kind and compassionate. They teach us to treat others how we wish to be treated and to be courageous. Through the love of a mother, we are taught how to become a better version of ourselves and hopefully learn that in being that better version, we can shed a positive light on other people’s lives, too.
Like any close family member or friend, it is important to maintain a healthy relationship with your mom — one that you can look back on with positivity and appreciation.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, during times of stress, the mother is the parent who most often tries to calm and reassure children. So, the mother-child relationship “serves as a salient foundation from which both men and women develop their secure base and their general emotional well-being.”
It is equally as important to maintain healthy communication with your mother.
Throughout my four years at the University of Idaho, I have had my fair share of moments simply ignoring my mom’s Facetime call or text message. Whether I think I’m too busy or I promise myself I will get back to her later, neither excuse is valid. Make time for your mom. She is most likely the one that will be there on the phone when you need her most.
From the lunch dates to night-long venting sessions, I wouldn’t trade time with my mother for anything. Treating your mother like a best friend creates a bond that can never be broken.
And, although mom might not always be right there when you need her, she’s probably just a phone call away.
Never take your mother’s unconditional love for granted — it’s a love like no other.
Savannah Cardon can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @savannahlcardon