A Mother's Day Tribute

I hope you all will indulge me this week while I tell you a little bit about the better half of this mother/daughter business.

My mom, Cherish, is truly the greatest woman I have ever known or will ever know.

From the day I was born, I have been loved, cherished, protected, and fiercely encouraged to be whoever I wanted to be.

She has an eclectic style, my mom. One that I admire and emulate today. But this made for many disagreements over what looked "cool" every year at back-to-school shopping, or in my teenage years for all formal high school dances. And even though she definitely picked out the cooler dresses, (yes, I can admit now that her picks were way cooler than mine), she never pressured me into doing what she wanted. She'd always get me the dress that I felt best in.

My mom left the corporate world when I was in high school. After spending years of her life dedicated to a male-dominated field, she did the bravest thing someone can do and she bet on herself. She left everything she knew behind and started something fresh and new.

She has never been afraid to take a leap.

And she has always encouraged me to jump.

You want to be an actor? Go to acting school.

You want to be a writer? Send me your pages.

You want paper flowers made out of books for your wedding? I'll make the prettiest damn flowers anyone has ever seen.

Every dream, every desire, every hope I've ever had... My mom takes it gently in her hands and helps me figure out how to make it a reality.

Mama,

You are imbued into every facet of the woman I have become.

Thank you for being bold and always dancing like no one is watching.

Thank you for using your voice. You speak up for others, you don't let anyone mess with you or your family, and you sing loud and proud for everyone to hear.

Thank you for reading to me and showing me that beautiful worlds exist on the page and in my head.

Thank you for being fearless in your pursuit of happiness.

Thank you for coming to every soccer game, every softball game, and to every opening night.

Thank you for late-night drives and impulse purchases.

Thank you for living freely. Thank you for following your own path.

And thank you for giving me the strength, the will, the desire, and the drive to follow mine.

My love, my life.

Happy Mother's Day!