Things My Mother Was Right About

"Because I said so." - Every Mother Ever

Those may be the most frustrating words a child can hear. But let's face it, a lot of times Mom is right. I know my mother was. Even now, nearly 10 years removed from living under my mother's roof full-time, I still find myself saying "Damnit! She was right!" on a fairly regular basis.

I'm sure my mother, the original "velvet steamroller," will appreciate this homage. Here are some of the things my mother was right about - only some of them, because let's be honest there's a lot more she's right about than I can write down, and I'm sure there will be more that I discover as I continue to get older.

1. High quality H2O is the best thing you can do for your body. Ne'er a road trip, walk to the garden, nor a step to another room passed by without my mother's sippy cup full of room-temperature water in her hand. And damnit if it doesn't taste good, too, like she told me (as I demanded sugary Kool-Aid and juice). Even CNN agrees!

2. If you ever fall out of the boat while going down the rapids, put your feet first. I don't know why this was hammered into my memory from a young age, but sure enough when I went whitewater rafting for the first time a couple of weeks ago, they told us just that. (It's so you don't hit your head on a rock, btw)

3. Don't pluck your eyebrows on the top (and, bonus from my grandmother, don't pluck them too thin). I owe my nice eyebrows to my mother. It drove me NUTS how anal she was about how I chose to style them in middle school (read: how I butchered them in middle school). But yes, she is correct. You shouldn't pluck your eyebrows from the top, because that's what creates the natural shape. And nobody likes a pencil thin brow these days.

4. That red top that showed my bra when I was in 7th grade was not cute. I cringe when I think about it. Definitely should have listened to mom when she told me it wasn't flattering. The greater lesson learned here: clothes need to fit well or they don't look good. Period.

5. Friendships ebb and flow. This is one I seem to forget about and have to go back and re-learn with a fair amount of regularity. Life changes, physical moves, personal growth, etc. all contribute to the ebb and flow of friendships. The best friends are the ones with whom you can pick right up like you never missed a beat, even if it's been a long time since you've connected.

6. Not everybody is going to like you. I've talked about this before. It's one of the hardest lessons mom ever taught me, but it's an important one. You can't please everyone all of the time. Do your best, try your hardest, and...

7. Good things happen to good people. If you are a good person, good things will come to you. You may not be the richest, the most famous, or whatever else it is you think you need to be. But count your blessings and good things will come!

All for now, more to come.

-A