I don’t know what I would do without you. You’ve been there since day one. You always figured everything out.
You’d wake up extra early to make my waffles and be able to put my hair in that expert non-bumpy ponytail (because God knows I’d flip if there was even just one). Sometimes it would take 20 minutes.
You’d make sure I made it to every practice, even if that meant you had to leave work early. Every school award ceremony, early Saturday morning games, even the little things like invite your parent to lunch day in middle school; I was always so happy to have you there. I don’t know how you did it though when you worked so hard.
Then I grew up a little bit. Got my first boyfriend. You drove us everywhere before I got my license. When I finally did get that shiny plastic card with my name on it, you even bought me a car. I know how much overtime you were putting in. I don’t know how I deserved that.
Prom dress shopping, you took me to 5 different malls. Made sure everything from my hair to my toes was perfect. You took endless amounts of photos because I couldn’t agree with one I liked of myself. You were happy to though. Didn’t complain once. You loved it.
You helped me apply to college. Gave me advice on choosing which one I would go to. Then even helped me pay for it.
A few years fast forward, I was moving out. You were happy for me. But you started crying and it broke my heart. You didn’t want to let me go. Now that I am gone, you text me asking for girls’ nights; and when we have them, it’s so nice to be home with you. I know you miss me. I miss you too.
And you’re so proud of me. I love how you share my facebook posts sometimes and caption it as “my beautiful daughter???. Every trip I have ever taken, you’re so impressed by my knack for adventure. Afterwards, you look through every single picture, even if there’s over a thousand.
There’s still so much of my life that I will need you. I am sure I will be getting married down the road, having children, building my own family. Please know that I will still need you standing right next to me; showing me how you did it all.
You always took impeccable care of me. Of all of us. And even though we’re all grown up, you still try so hard to hold onto us. And I am so happy that you do.
But do this for me now. Start living for yourself a little bit. Please.
I want you to wake up and make yourself the most splendid breakfast. Do things that make you feel good; the things you always did for me. Go get your hair done here and there. Get your nails done with your favorite salmon colored nail polish. You think those shoes are cute? Buy them for yourself. Take yourself on a trip and let me be the one to look through your pictures. I promise I will look at every single one.
This is my wish for you. This is what would make me happy, more than anything. To see you take care of yourself the way you did for us. You deserve the world and I want nothing more than to see you have it.
