My mother teaches me something every day, but here are some gems in honor of her this mother’s day weekend:

There are several ways to interpret every situation, every pitfall, and every struggle. Choose the interpretation/reaction that not only adds value but keeps your joy. Nothing should be able to take your joy away. –I’m still working on this one. I get riled up sometimes and because I care, I get riled up for my mom and yet she doesn’t seem as phased or impacted as I am.

Move on quickly, make up quickly. Have your feelings, indulge for a second and then move on and most importantly let go. Your negative feelings only succeed in holding you back and keeping you down. Figure out the next step and find that silver lining. There is always one. I still remember wrong doings I’ve done to my mother. Times I have flown off the handle and said things I didn’t mean. She never brings them up, never throws them in my face. She does not live with that baggage and weight of carrying around memories and holding on to moments of distress to rehash and relive them in some distant future. I’m trying to get this one too… I fail regularly.

Love fully, completely, and consistently. It’s easy when you look at someone and they are doing everything you wish they would do. It’s real when you can still love fully, completely and consistently when you look at someone and they are everything you wish they weren’t.  That is the beauty about love. It doesn’t waiver. I am bossy. I can be aggressive and rude and sarcastic all at the same time. Sometimes I have to consciously bite my tongue and sometimes I fail. My mother hugs me anyway, loves me anyway, will pick up my pieces, will bend over backwards, will go to the end of the earth to make me happy despite my shortcomings and yet she STILL tells me the truth. She leads by an amazing example.

Be yourself. If you love dressing up and taking pictures with flowers, do it. If you don’t feel whole unless your hair is permed, then perm away. If your purse must match your shoes no matter what the occasion, do it. If you like to wear fuzzy socks in the summer and sleep in onesies, do it. Don’t let anyone tell you who to be or what is weird. Be weird, be different, be annoying, be you. No one else will. You were not put on this earth to fit in. We were put here to stand out and share our light.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! Thank you for everything!