I am that mother,mom, momma who is willing to cry in front of her daughter.  I am that mother, mom, mommy,who is willing to breathe, meditate and pray in front of her daughter-

who is willing to face the truths of this life and share them; knowing full well, the truths my daughter faces in her life time will be easier to manage, maybe.

I am that mother, mom,mommy who is willing to let it be, choose the battle, put my foot down, but not before

I put it firmly in my mouth. Sometimes.

I give too  much, question my parenting, choices, look for time well spent, and chase time, that

somehow slips away alarmingly fast.  Too fast.

I am that mother, mom, momma, mommy, ma who took the long route, the road less traveled, the path full of resistance-

and now watch as my daughter does the same.  Sometimes I fight the urge to give directions-sometimes I show her the way.

I cry, yell, cuss, question, laugh, investigate, research, discover, and lovelovelove deeper than I ever imagined.

I hang on too tight.  All the time.

I am still figuring it all out in between the good days and the not so good days. I cling, clutch, claw at the leaps and bounds taking my

daughter closer to independence and her own way.  I worry. I wonder. I will  that all the goodness finds my daughter when she needs it most.

I take equal parts of what worked for me and what never did and teach them both-hoping for the best and expecting everything in between-

I tell the truth.  Always.  Especially when I don’t want to.  I expect my daughter to do the same.  Always.

I don’t shy away from disappointment and despair.  I expect my daughter to do the same.

I don’t hide from the issues I’d rather not face. I bring them to light and hope the light shines brightest for my daughter when she too confronts issues she’d rather

not face.

I am that mother, mom, momma,mommy, ma.