Day 271

I watched the Barbie movie last week (I know, I know, I’m totally late to the party.) I wasn’t expecting to cry during some parts, but I really enjoyed the movie and it was nice to watch it with family. One quote at the end made me a cry a lot though.

We mothers stand still so our daughters can look back to see how far they’ve come.

Oh man, that hit me so hard. In a few rare moments of complete vulnerability and honesty, my mom expressed regret at some of the choices she had made in life, particularly when it came to relationships and some aspects of how she raised me. She did the best she could with the circumstances and opportunities given to her and I’m so proud that she was my mom. I joked to a few people that I know I’ll traumatize my kid in some way, but it will be totally different than how my mom traumatized me because I know what not to do from that perspective. Mom’s mistakes, stories, and, most importantly, her love and unwavering support (even when I was a complete brat) helped shape who I am today and I hope she would be proud of the life I’ve created, especially because of how different it is from her path.