Mother’s Day is two days away and of course, everyone’s first thought is, “What should I get my mom this year?”

I know teenage behavior because I’m a teen myself. We’re busy!!! We have jobs, friends, school to worry about. I know some of you reading this may not have even thought about how important Sunday is. Maybe your dad is going remind you Saturday night “Hey, have you gotten anything for mom, yet?” 

I implore you to not wait till Saturday night. Start thinking NOW!! And don’t just run to Walgreens to buy your mom a skincare set or cheap gift. Also, flowers are great, but flowers die. Sure, a nice card is appreciated, but they end up in the junk drawer after a few days. What lasts?? Experiences!! Spend an hour and go on a hike with your mom. Actually tell her what’s going on in your life. Those are the things she wants!!!

In fact, the creator of Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis, had experiences in mind originally, not gifts.  She emphasized she made this day for people to go out and spend time with their mom or even write a simple handwritten letter to show their appreciation for the “personal sacrifices mothers make for their children.”

When thinking about my own mom, I think about the strong and confident woman she is in all aspects of her life. One thing I think about all the time is how strong she was to move to the U.S. from Colombia at the age of 12, not knowing how to speak English and needing to live with her sister. She got on that plane alone, not knowing where her life was going to take her, but she had the strength to know that she would figure her way through it.

I don’t think anything could compare to the comfort my mom always brought me when all I could think about was that I needed her. When I was sick and just needed her, when I’d fall outside and just needed her, or when I was going through hard times at school and just needed her, she was always there to hold my hand and pick me back up. Through her kindness and devotion toward me, she’s shown me everything I need to know to be as strong and courageous as she’s always been.

Not one gift I could buy her could ever express my love and appreciation for my mom, and I hope that, through this, some may consider something other than just some skincare set, flowers, or a store-bought card.

For my mom and I, we’re going to celebrate her by going pottery painting, and coming home to watch movies. I’m going to let her choose the title, but knowing my mom, she’ll probably choose “Twilight.”

So, what are you planning to do with your mom on Sunday? Have you thought about it? Are you going to spend time with her or give her another cheap gift?