My mom has taught me most (if not all) of the important things I know in this life. She is not only a constant inspiration, but a catalyst to my being who I am today.

I’m here to share with you some of my favorite things she said, why they’re hilarious, and why they will apply to and enrich your life, as they’ve enriched mine.

With this post, I am celebrating her, and all of the amazing mothers out there.

Mom, this one’s for you!
 
5.11.TW
Sara and her mother

1. If you don’t laugh, you cry.

My mom has been saying this for as long as I can remember. It’s not totally semantically accurate, as we all aren’t running around like crying babies all the time. But the general sentiment is so very true. There have been so many times when life was silly and unfair, and I just wanted to sit down and cry. But so much can be cured with laughter. Life is a beautiful winding road, and my mother taught me that laughing through it seems to be the best way to go.

2. Never give up.

My mother is a cancer survivor. She’s brave, and strong, and resilient. She put my sister and I through college. She has had all of life’s curveballs and bounced back consistently. I am beyond grateful to her, and more so, inspired by her resilience. In life, it can be easy to get down on yourself at times. In case no one has told you yet, life isn’t easy. Or fair. But it is beautiful. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and my mom has shown me that time and time again.

3. Desert Island.

This HAS to be my favorite lesson. “Desert Island” refers to finding your independence. When my sister and I were kids my mom would use this phrase to remind us that if we were on a desert island, and she weren’t around, we’d have to figure out what to do. “Hey mom, where are the markers?” “DESERT ISLAND, GIRLS!” she would say, meaning, “What would you do if I weren’t here!”

As we grow up, we become increasingly more independent. We are learning how to be alone, how to find our way, and most importantly, how to create who we want to be.

4. Rub it.

In the eyes of my mother, most (or all) of life's ailments could be fixed with this phrase. We’d hear a “THUD!” somewhere around the house. Then an "Ouchhhhh. Mommmm." Then I’d hear my mom yell from another corner of the house: "Rub it!!!" This is not to say that my mother wasn't an incredibly attentive parent when it came to caring for us, but for life's small bumps and bruises, it's important to remember that we can brush ourselves off (rub it!), get back up, and move on.

5. A resume is important.

Ok, Yes, my mom literally taught me how to write an actual resume, but she also taught me the importance of tracking your accomplishments and being proud of yourself. No matter where your career path (or life for that matter) takes you, always remember where you’ve come from, to be grateful to those who have helped you, and be proud of where you’re going.

6. Tea solves a multitude of problems.

Teatime was always big in our house. So was sitting in the kitchen, because of course, that’s where all important conversations were held. Any time something big was happening in our lives, mom and I would sit to have tea and talk things out. Yes, there would also usually be some type of dessert. I’ve learned that it is incredibly important to digest critical moments in life. We should all take time to think critically, sip slowly, and in the case of dessert, always treat yourself.

7. You don’t have to pay full price to be fabulous.

My mom always looks like a million bucks (she actually won an award for being one of NC’s most fashionable a few years ago – she’s LEGIT). But my mom has never purchased anything (for the most part) for full price. You might say, WHAT? How?! Somehow she does it. “It’ll always go on sale,” she says. And low and behold, this is true. I’m not saying people shouldn’t spring for things they really want that are full price (I’m guilty), but more often than not, look out for the good bargains in life. Sometimes the good bargains are worth waiting for. 

8. A mother knows. 

Our favorite movie is Moonstruck (yes, the one with Cher). In the movie Olympia Dukakis famously says, “a wife knows,” in reference to knowing about her husband’s affair. In this case, “a mother knows.” My mom ALWAYS knew everything that was happening even I didn’t tell her. She could read the signs on my face. She can hear the change in my voice when I’m upset. She taught me to let myself be vulnerable. Let myself be only myself. I am so fortunate to have had a mother who cared so deeply, and knew me so completely. Open yourself to letting people truly know YOU.

9. The truth shall set you free.

The only time I ever lied to my mom was when I was 14, and I’ll never forget it. 1. Because it was basically the only time (I guess I was a weird kid), and 2. Because I confessed soon after, and she thanked me and appreciated that I came forward and told the truth.

Honesty has always been of utmost importance in our family. I was always taught to be honest with others, but more importantly, to be honest with myself. My mom always told me to listen to my conscience and follow my heart. “Be who you are, there’s no one like you,” she’d say. “You can’t go wrong.”

10. As they say, “Va bene.”  

Let me start by saying we are Italian. But my mom truly adopted this phrase when I was living in Italy and she came to visit. Italians use this phrase for pretty much anything; it’s as common as the word “um.” Translated, “va bene” means “it’s alright, or it’s okay.” Mom will use this to close a thought, sentence or story. For example I’ll be telling her a story about how I was seeing someone and it didn’t work out. “Ah, va bene, va bene!” she’ll reply. Meaning, “Oh Sara, such is life.” This phrase is a constant reminder that every little thing is gonna be alright, and life will go on. Va bene!

My mom has written me a poem every year since I was born. It’s our family’s way of commemorating big events. So mom, for this mother’s day, I close today with the following short rhyme.

On this special Mother’s Day
I thought I’d celebrate you in a more public way
You’ve done so much; we’ve come so far
I can never truly express how amazing you are
You’ve supported me through the many years of big hopes and bigger dreams
You’ve shared with me a zest for life, it’s contagious, so it seems
You’ve taught me all the things I know, today I shared a few
You gave me life, and GIVE me life - Happy Mom’s Day, I love you.
 

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