I promised on Father’s Day that I’d write a little something for my mama, so let’s talk about my mama.
As much as I am like my daddy, who is a wonderful, hilarious, supportive father, I’m also a lot like my mama. Her family is all Italian-American, and, like so many of our relatives, she is feisty and sassy and honest. I can be pretty insecure at times — a lot of “Does this make me look fat?” and “I’m never going to get a job again.” going on — and she always tells me what she thinks, and she’s always right. And no, she’s not just saying it. Trust me, if you know my mama, you know one thing: She clearly adores her children but is not afraid to tell them the truth.
My mama is also hilarious, so she and Daddy have blessed all three of their children with senses of humor. All of us have our funny moments, and I’m so glad. There are few things I like better than laughing, and when my family gets together, there’s a lot of laughing. (In fact, one of the few things I like better than laughing is being with my family, so it’s only appropriate that the two are often combined.)
I cannot imagine having a better mama than mine. She is truly my best friend, and I can always call her when I need to tell someone something. I can call her and freak out and have a meltdown, and my mama won’t bat an eye. More importantly, though, she makes me feel better. I could have slammed my hand in the car door, and I could call my mama to tell her, and it would be all better by the end of the conversation. She’s that good. She and Daddy are the first people I call when I have news to share, and she and Daddy are always the first people to be proud of me.
I think the most important quality about my mama is that she is one of the most giving, caring people in the world. I’ve inherited her inability to say no to people and her propensity to taking on more than she probably should. I hope I’ve inherited her capacity to love, too; she loves everyone with such a ferocity and would do anything to help out the people she loves. That’s why she’s my hero.
One day, I’m going to get married and have kids. That day is probably sneaking up on me faster than I realize. I know everyone says you’re never fully prepared for either of those things, and I agree. However, I know I’ve had the best examples in the world, and there’s no one I’d rather go to for advice than my parents. And in all honesty, if I’m half the wife and mama my mama is, I’m set.
