Thanks , mom !
It’s Mother’s Day weekend! And to celebrate the women who raised us, I recentlyaskedtheBuzzFeed Communityto share the best advice they ever got from their moms. Here are the most impactful, life-changing responses:
1.“I’m not here to be yourbest friend, I’m here to be your mom. She told me that at 15 years old. Now at 30, she is my best friend. I’m so grateful she parented me and didn’t try to be my friend. We probably wouldn’t be as close as we are now.”
2.“This too shall pass. My mom has told me this for as long as I can remember. And she’s right, it will pass. It may hurt like no other, but it will pass.”
— Anonymous from Texas
3.“My mother surrounded us with a loving community of surrogate grandparents because her parents had passed away when she was young, and my dad’s family didn’t have anything to do with us. I always thought it was normal to have like 10 papas and mamaws. Looking back, it was also a way for her to have parent figures. It taught me to build a community of chosen family members of all ages.”
4.“You are smarter than you think, braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem.”
— Anonymous from Los Angeles , California
5.“When I was in high school, my mom told me, ‘When matters of the heart are concerned, if you have to ask yourself the question more than once, most likely the answer is no.’ I have tried to follow this piece of advice when it comes to dating, sex, and relationships. When I follow it, it is profound how true it is! You never ask yourself more than once if you should have that cookie. The same thing should go for sex and love! I knew I should have listened before I married my second husband…”
6.“No man is worth crying over. And the one who is, won’t make you cry.”
— greyhedgewitch
7.“My mum has several ‘catchphrases’ that have helped me navigate life at every stage, the best of which is ‘not my monkeys, not my circus.’ Being able to step back and remind myself that I don’t need to be invested in every issue or bit of drama that comes my way has been instrumental in setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. The catchphrase that’s a very close runner-up is ‘rally and focus!’ I’m easily distracted, and being able to play this line in my mum’s voice in my head always helps me stay on task.”
8.“As dark as it sounds: if he hits you once, he’ll hit you again. That was my mom’s very simplified version of the cycle of abuse. I think it applies to any form of abuse, not just physical. How do I know she’s right? I experienced it myself! Did I listen to her advice? Nope! I’m in a healthy relationship now, though, and will thoroughly teach my kids what a healthy relationship looks like, just like her SparkNotes did for me.”
— Anonymous fromNew York
9.“Learn to love your own company. You’re the only person you’ll never be rid of.”
10.“To love all my children equally and not to play favorites. And most importantly, don’t tell them you favor one over the others, like she did.”
— dizzyeggplant2887
11.“My mother’s advice made anyone want to do the opposite, with one exception: trust your gut.”
12."‘If a man is attacking you, you think you can kick him in the balls and get out of any situation. What you don’t know is that there are two different types of men: one who immediately falls in pain, and the other swallows that pain and becomes angrier. Beware of that second type of man.’ I felt like she spoke from experience. After that, I started being smarter about how I would get out of situations."
— Anonymous from Tennessee
13.“That it’s OK to be a little selfish sometimes.”
14.“Right up to when you say ‘I do,’ you can change your mind.”
— Anonymous
15.“A falling knife has no handle. Depending on the circumstances, she used the phrase literally and figuratively. "
16.“As a tween in the ’80s, my mother always reminded me that I was just as special and unimportant as anyone else. Even the most popular kids had problems; some of us just hide them better. While people like her and I wear ours on our sleeves, it has always helped me see myself as equal to everyone I encounter, no matter who they are.”
— Anonymous from Massachusetts
17.“My mother taught me the importance of friendships; she was a devoted friend to several women her entire life. She also taught me about putting outfits together and how to accessorize! She was always immaculate from head to toe.”
18.“To live.”
19.“Nobody is worth you. This has saved me so much grief over the years.”
Note : Some responses have been edited for distance and/or uncloudedness .
