Mother <3

It’s hard to overstate the impact my mother has had on my life, and is a wonderful place to start this photoessay from. From her, I learned of the importance of integrity and what unconditional love really means. She sets a model example for all aspects of my life and rarely falters, which to me is incredible. It’s hard to always be a reasonable parent, but somehow my mother manages it.

 

Raising me as a single mother meant that we spent a lot of time together, no matter what state or country we were in. I grew up listening to the music she loved, musing over the art she admired, adopting her taste in food (though I still think Italian is better than Japanese) and internalizing her thoughts and values. She raised me under a lifestyle and culture that holds poise and elegance, which I strive to uphold no matter if I’m with my grandparents or with my friends. That’s the power of a mother’s influence: purely on the values that she’s instituted in me, I can stay true to my integrity even if I gain to do otherwise; it’s a testament to how much I cherish our relationship and how much I believe in the power of who my mother is.

 

Done