Lifestyle

A Little Less Crazy: 5 Ways Your Mom Brings You Back Down To Earth

by Caitlin Jill Anders

There are days when we all feel a little crazy. There’s no way around it. We’re running here and there, making decisions and losing our minds.

We wonder if everyone else is as weird and frazzled as we are. Most days, it seems like probably not. The only thing crazier than our stupidly busy lives are our nutty, wonderful families.

As we go about our day-to-day schedules, it can all feel pretty insane sometimes. Then, we go home, and we remember where we came from.

We remember the crazies, especially our mothers, who helped us grow and become the weird, incredible people we are today.

My mom is one of the most interesting and amazing people I know. Some days, things are hard and I feel insane. But whenever I see or talk to my mom, she’s always able to make me feel a little less alone.

Sometimes, it’s because she knows just what to say, and sometimes, it’s because I remember she’s just as crazy as I am.

There are things our moms do or say that remind us maybe we're not so crazy after all:

1. She loses it, too.

Mothers are superheroes, but they're also not perfect. There are days when even our moms lose their cool and just need to take a moment.

The rest of the world makes it seem like we need to be on top of things all the time, and of course, we’re not. We feel like we’ve failed because we can’t keep keep it together every second.

Then, we realize our moms are too stressed to think of something to make for dinner, or they just wish they could take a personal day.

We recognize that if our moms, the most organized and on-top-of-it women in the world, don't even have it together all the time, it’s okay if we don’t, either.

2. She’s more ridiculous than you are.

There are days when we notice everyone around us is taking the world way too seriously. We’re afraid everyone is judging us because we made an absurd joke, or we didn’t know what to say during that conversation.

We don’t always feel like we really fit in.

These are the days when you always seem to get a text from your mom asking how the hell Facebook statuses work, or declaring she’s going to start saving baby clothes for your future kids (even though you’re not even remotely seeing anyone).

These are the days when your mother sings in the kitchen, yells at the TV or says the weirdest things.

You realize she is the reason you are the ridiculous human you are. She’s ridiculous, and she’s made it this far. So, hell, we might as well just take her lead.

3. She’s not afraid to be wrong.

We all make mistakes, but it’s not fun. No one likes being wrong.

At work and with friends, everyone acts like we should know how to do this or what’s happening with that. We’re made to feel stupid just for not knowing something or for asking questions.

Moms aren't afraid to look stupid or be wrong because they know they aren’t. They’ve been around a while; they know it’s okay to make mistakes.

They’ve raised children who’ve made a lot of mistakes, and they've made some mistakes themselves. They know that not knowing something or being wrong is not, by any stretch, the end of the world.

Sometimes, all it takes is seeing someone else accept being wrong to accept it for yourself.

4. She made it through.

Your mother was you once. I know, it’s hard to believe. It was so long ago! (Just kidding, Mom. You look 29, I swear.)

It’s true, though. Years ago, your mother was in the exact same position you are now. She was young, reckless and just trying to figure all this sh*t out. And guess what? She made it. She struggled, and she fell.

But she’s here now, and she’s doing okay. She made it through the place in your life you’re at now, and if she can do it, so can you.

After all, she’s your mother. She made you this way.

5. She loves you.

Your life can be messy. You have loans to pay off. You have exes who think you’re certifiable. You make mistakes at your job.

Sometimes, you’re lazy and a slob. You have zero clue what you’re doing, and sometimes, you just give zero f*cks.

You’re afraid you might be hard to love, but she loves you. Despite the mess, the chaos and the fact you can be a huge pain in the ass, your mother loves you. And she always will.

Sure, she has to; she’s your mom. She brought you here. But, just knowing there is someone who, despite all your flaws, will always love you no matter what?

Well, I’d say that’s enough to make anyone feel a little less crazy and a little less alone.