If I can teach my daughters

– to stand firm on their own two feet

– to be true to themselves

– to follow their gut and believe in their abilities

– to give people the benefit of the doubt

– to believe in their friends and family

– to always be honest

– to not be afraid to call people on their B.S.

– to tell it like it is

– to unclog a kitchen sink and fix a dripping toilet

– to differentiate good art from cheese

– to cook a tasty meal or ten

– to dare to smell the yucky stuff in the fridge

– to dance in the kitchen, at the grocery store, and anywhere else they want

– to recognize a good bargain

– to know when to laugh and when to cry, and that it’s OK to do both

– to always be gracious in the face of adversity

– to stand firm and not let anyone talk down to them

– to be proud to be themselves at all times

well then I’ll be half the mother my mother is.

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day in France. I sent my mommy some flowers, but I thought she deserved to know how much I admire her and how much I value everything she’s taught me over the years. Bonne fête, maman, je t’aime.