Dear Mother,

Thank you for making me the woman I am today.

Thank you…

For teaching me to always be myself and be proud of who I am.

For teaching me to strong and have courage when life gets hard.

For teaching me to love and see the beauty in things when they’re hard to see.

I’d like to think you’ve taught me well. Especially in a world where it only get harder and harder to be yourself. There are a few things I won’t admit to because I am so far from you and I don’t want you to worry. But if there is one thing you’ve taught me is that I will be fine.

 I think of you everyday.

Being away from you is harder than I thought. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I have a much better relationship with you when I am traveling than when I did when I was home. It’s probably because I can’t wait to share all my adventures with you. We speak everyday if not every other day, because I am always thinking of you. The time difference from NY to Australia makes it really hard, but I am glad we make it work. I miss annoying you about stupid stuff or knowing that we get on each others nerves. Let’s face it, you are my best friend. You’ve built me to be this young women in a world that is still learning to accept women like me. You’ve taught me to be my own and carry my own. For that I am forever thankful.

I hate being sick away from home.

As I say this, as I am currently rolled up in my blanket in bed with the flu. Wishing you were around to bring me soup or just lay with me to have a good laugh at how horrible I currently look. I hate being sick away from home. It feels like it takes ages for me to get better! It sucks. You’ve taught me how to take of myself and what needs to be done, but it still isn’t the same. Sure, I get better and I listen and do what I need to do to get better, but there is nothing like having you around when I am not home and get sick.

I am a lot more homesick than I claim to be.

Yes, I said it I miss you. To be honest, I have been home sick before. When I lived in London a few times and Brazil. But I being that Australia is SO far and this is the longest I have gone without actually seeing you and the family, I am def more homesick than I normally would be. I miss being around everyone. The smell of home, the cooking, the lectures on my life, and the Spanglish. I miss my Lola (my dog). More than anything, I miss your hugs. I miss having you hug me when life gets tough and shit happens. That feeling you give me mom that even though at times I drive you mental, you let me know you still love me and it will all be ‘alright’.

Lastly, I worry…

I worry that time is passing and I am not getting enough time with you.

I worry that something might happen and I wouldn’t know what to do without you.

I worry that you might get sick.

I miss you now and you’re here, well and alive. I love what I do and it makes me so happy to travel the world. I also know that it makes you happy that I do what I do, but missing you comes everyday. Making what I do, even hard at times. I have to be honest and tell you that I don’t think I’ve realized how much I need my mom. I feel like the older I get the more I want you closer to me. I wish we could slow down and make more memories before time passes. But this is life and until I see you again (soon), I will continue to have you on speed dial, send you text messages about what I am making dinner, and just call to see what you’re up to because I simply miss you.

Ps. I love you mom.