One morning, a teenage daughter feeling disillusioned, leaves this letter for her mom to find on the kitchen table.
Dear Mom,Why can't you just leave me alone?
There is no one on Earth like you. Your
stinginess, nagging, and inability to show
love and grace are unparalleled.
Instead of giving me what I desire, you give me what
I've never wanted. You always
remain stubborn in your opinions and you never
provide for my needs.Christmas Eve...
I still remember how you
insisted the family eat dinner together. You
held me all night while
my friends were waiting for me. You didn't care that
I was sick
of being treated like a child.
You listen to all of
your friends' advice about
my problems but never
see things from my perspective. You
burden me with your own
expectations for my performance. To
forgive me for not
being the perfect daughter is beyond your capabilities.
Always showing how much I
need to improve only discourages me. I might be able to
appreciate the
pressure to succeed more if any
love and care you have for me
accompany it, but they do not.
"I love you"
are words I refuse to say to you ever again,
for you are my hero
no longer.
Although at first glance it seems as if the daughter has completely lost faith in her mother, read only every other line starting from "Dear Mom" to discover the daughter's true feelings hiding just beneath the surface. These thoughts are sometimes so well hidden they elude the daughter herself. As a teenager*, I often feel at odds with my mom. Instead of being the infallible person I remember from my elementary school days, she is now human, complete with faults. However, I also know that despite the differences we may have, my mom and I will always share a deep bond of love that will only mature and grow stronger. My mother's love for me is a cornerstone of my life, one that I can always count on. She is my hero and will remain so forever. I hope that this letter will help other mothers and daughters realize how much they, too, love one another.
*I originally wrote this poem as a 10th grader at University High School in Irvine, CA. Recently, Ms. Ozoa, my English teacher at the time, stumbled across my Twitter account, reconnected, and asked for a copy of this poem. I thought it was worth re-sharing as my mom continues to be, and will remain forever, my hero.
Thanks, Mom.
Love,
Deborah