Top 5 Ways You Inspire Me, Mom

Top 5 Ways You Inspire Me, Mom My Mom I getting ready for my wedding. Photo by the immensely talented Kate Leigh. Dear Mom, When sending out my inspiration plea to friends and family, I got a myriad of answers back, and I returned the favor to them all. The one that I let sit there, not responding to.? Yours. I know you havent thought about it. It didnt register that I promised to send back to everyone the ways they inspire me, and yet your Inbox remained empty. When it comes to you your children, its about giving and never receiving. I think that, at the time, I knew it would take me hours to cover all the ways you inspire me. I also had an inkling that Id get fairly emotional while writing it, since you mean so much to me and yet .I dont really tell you other than ending our visits and calls with an I love you. Well, Mom, I wanted to take this mothers day and tell you and the world at large (aka my beautiful readers) the Top 5 Ways You Inspire Me. Of course I could add 100 more, but Id be afraid Id be sobbing for hours! In no particular order: My Mom my stepfather at my wedding. Photo by the crazy talented Kate Leigh. 5. You love your life. This sounds silly at face value, but youre just so happy where you are no more, no less that its something I try to emulate every day. Youre the poster girl of the South Shore. Your 10-year relationship is ridiculously strong. Your job isnt a means to a paycheck, but something you thrive at and enjoy. You surround yourself with your family and friends you consider your family. This isnt to say that youre never upset or sad it just never seems to get in the way of your overall happiness. 4. You instilled in me such self-confidence and self-worth, Im surprised that my feet are still on the ground. Mom, you always had me believing that I could do anything I wanted to do, but when I faltered you were always there to hold my hand. Ill never forgot the time I came home right before graduating NYU, privately doubting myself as to whether I could really do this be a working actress. Out of nowhere, you turned to me in the car and said, If you dont want to do this, nobody will be upset with you. You wont be a failure. Well love you and support you no matter what you want to do. Somehow, that allowed me to put one foot in front of the other and pound the pavement, following my dream. It also stayed with me when I decided once and for all that I was going to stray from that path and find a new one to travel down. I always knew that youd be proud of me no matter what, and it allowed me to find my happiness. 3. You speak up when somethings wrong make sure that it gets made right. It was you who would also help me approach my friends when I was mad or sad or feeling bad, and I came away from it learning major life lessons before I hit double digits. I know that I do that less as an adult, and Im trying to change that because I know how much happier and healthier I am as a result of it, no matter how much Im hurt at the time. I want to always be able to stand up for myself and those I love. Me, my brother and my Mom, circa 1982 or so. 2. Youve created your own family. Growing up, it never occurred to me how small a clan our blood relatives were. When 85% of them packed up and moved down to Florida, I hardly noticed. Dont get me wrong I loved and missed them, but there were dozens of other people to spend Passover with! And celebrate Mothers Day! And watch fireworks with on the 4th! You gave true meaning to the words family friends, and created our own clan of brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. Ive never felt at a loss to be around those that know and love me, no matter how far our family lived. 1. You live by your values. Because your #1 value is your family, thats been instilled in me, too. But what I see from that, overall, is the fact that you would jump in front of a moving bullet if it meant that it spared your husband or your children. By living by your values, youve done more than say, Family comes first you lived it. Its taught me, more than anything, to stand by my values, whatever they may be on any given day. Its allowed me to live my passion, and wait for the right man to come along (one that deserves to be with me and my wonderfully nutty family!), and choose to surround myself with those that all come bearing sunshine and positivity. I didnt have to waver on any of those things, all because youve been my example my whole life. I love you so much Mom this Mothers Day and every day in between! Love, Michelle