Hey Mama

When I was 8 years old, my mother sat me down on the old carpet in the office and patiently taught me algebra. Despite my whining and complaints, she walked me through the intricate ins and outs of exponents and square roots, explained PEMDAS, and showed me how to isolate X. Little did I know that later that year, I would skip a grade due to my advanced math skills. At the time, I never thought to say, "Thanks, Mom."

At the age of 12, I gained admission to Uni. My mom not only wrote the application for me but also endured my tantrums as I complained about studying for the SSAT. She played a crucial role in securing recommendations when one of my original recommenders fell through just days before the deadline. When we received the acceptance letter, saying “Thanks mom.” Never occurred to me.

At 13, I found myself struggling as a freshman in high school, barely passing each assignment. Yet, my mom never gave up on me. She helped me with every missing assignment, raising my failing grades. I never said, "Thanks, Mom."

A mothers love is all too often under appreciated and taken for granted. The annoyance caused by lectures, complaints, and silly expectations seems to overshadow the unconditional love a mother provides. For all the times I failed to say “Thank you” This is my “Thank you”, to my mom. 

Thanks, Mom, for learning how to cook vegan food when I decided to go vegan, all to ensure my happiness.

Thanks, Mom, for helping me navigate my journey of self-identification when I could only seem to see the world through the fractured lens that exposure to racism provided me

Thanks, Mom, for helping me write my college applications when I found myself staring at a blank screen for hours, absolutely baffled about what to write.

Thanks, Mom, for bringing me a smoothie every time I called in the middle of your workday because I wanted one.

Thanks, Mom, for taking me out on girls days when we couldn't afford it 

Thanks, Mom, for encouraging all of my dreams.


My mother is the embodiment of the kind of woman I aim to be, she fills the roles of wife, mother, and business owner with grace. She is kind, patient, and wise beyond her years. My mother has cherished and loved me even In the days where I've allowed the ignorance of my adolescence to cloud my appreciation for her. So again I say, For all the times I failed to say “Thank you” Thanks mom.


“You were always the heart of happiness to me, Bringing nougats of glee, Sweets of open laughter.” - Maya Angelou, Mother, A Cradle to Hold Me

Comments

  1. LisaDecember 5, 2023 at 12:43 PM

    This is so sweet. I love it. I like the use of repetition throughout the essay to get at your point but also the use of multiple examples to prove it. I also like how you went from taking her love for granted to appreciating it. It creates a nice story of growth! I'm sure many of us have also taken people for granted, so it creates a relatable but profound message. I appreciate the quote at the end because it rounds off your essay nicely like a restaurant mint after dinner. If you ever said "thanks Mom" to her in person, I think it would be nice to include a short description of that at the end too (what you said, how you felt, how she felt, etc.). Overall, great job!

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  2. AyaDecember 7, 2023 at 8:02 PM

    This is such a beautiful essay and you fully take advantage of the personal essay form to tell this story. The narrative is very strong and cohesive and you do a good job of weaving in self-reflection along the way. You chart a clear course from being 12 years old to all of the new ways you depend on your mother and it feels really full circle. Both the introduction and conclusion are strong for this reason. There's also a clear personal-universal element. There are a couple examples you give that you could elaborate on a little bit (though I do like how the short lines add to the cadence of the essay). For example, you could talk more about your mother encouraging your dreams. I think the short lines work in their own way however, it's up to you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Miranda BurgosDecember 8, 2023 at 5:40 PM

    Hi Nyla! I really liked this essay. The formatting was unique but memorable and works in favor of this narrative. It was really wholesome.

    ReplyDelete

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