‘My best friend and my soul mate!’ A letter to my mum for Mother’s Day

This week, we celebrated International Women’s Day. We sang the praises of the most courageous and important women the world has ever seen, from Hillary Clinton to Maya Angelou. However, this week not only do we celebrate women, we celebrate mums.

I actually find it difficult to put into words just how much I appreciate my amazing mother. She brought me in to this world (without any painkillers, FYI), she fed me, clothed me and washed me. She cared for me when I was ill, held me when I was sad, and gave out when I was being an arsehole (teenagers, eh?).

However, I’m now 26, and frankly, very little has changed. The woman still provides me with food on the regular, buys me clothes when I’m stuck and minds me when I’m sick – I’m a big baby when I’m under the weather.

Anyway, my point is that they never stop being your mum, no matter how old you get.

I look at my mum, with my granny, and they still very much share a bond that only a mother and daughter could, despite the fact that my granny is 84 and suffering from memory loss. She’s still my mum’s best friend, and they still have those little spats that only a mum and daughter can have.

‘You’re not wearing that,are you?’ will still come out of my grandmother’s mouth on Christmas Day, when my mum comes downstairs rocking a dress she doesn’t approve of. And my mum will snap back with a mumbled ‘p*ss off’ – because that’s what we do. However, despite the little fights, my mum looks after my granny with respect and love (and a bit of craic along the way), something I am constantly in awe of.

It is a relationship like no other, a daughter and a mum. They can be your worst enemy one minute, and your closest friend the next. For me, it’s extra special, as I don’t have any sisters (I do have one lovely, annoying brother though.) So, as female influences go, my mother is my one and only. And she is more than enough, let me tell you.

I have inherited good skin, a decent bit of height and a cracking set of teeth (what did you think I was going to say? Filth). However, physical attributes aside, I am the person I am today because of my mum.

She taught me to be strong, and to ignore people’s bullshit. She taught me to be kind, and to treat everyone I meet with respect – ‘because you never know when you’ll meet them again’. She was dead right.

She has taught me how to enjoy life. She has pushed me to do things that I didn’t want to do, like moving abroad, job applications and joining the gym (trust me, I resisted that one). My music tastes, my love of food, my wanderlust, and my killer sarcasm – all of these things are down to my amazing mum.

I could continue for HOURS about all the things I’m thankful for, but ultimately, I am simply thankful for her.

Every minute, every day and every year that I’ve called her mum. I know how lucky I am, trust me. She's my best friend, and my soul mate. 

So, for tomorrow, I'm encouraging you all to tell your mums how much you love them, and how much you appreciate everything they do. 

And to my mum – you are the greatest person I know, and I love you more than anything! 

Happy Mother's Day!