'A Letter to My Mom' Reveals Lessons Learned by Kids

Los Angeles based author Lisa Erspamer’s new book, A Letter to My Mom (published Tuesday), is the latest addition in the author’s “A Letter to My” series. The book includes loving tributes to mothers (including celebrities) from their kids. Yahoo Parenting excerpted some of the gratitude in its pages, as well as a few personal photos from the contributors, in honor of the varied gifts that mothers bestow.

Strength

“My back, which rests comfortably against an office chair every day, has never felt over 60 years of hard labor like yours. It didn’t have to stand tall as customers walked through a flea market store, or bend over machines in factories. It hasn’t endured years of carrying laundry baskets or helping children move boxes to and from college. It does, however, have a Korean tiger tattoo on it that represents strength, and it represents you.”
— Trish Broome to her mother Bok Ja Smith

Wonder: 

“I had opportunity after opportunity handed to me on a silver platter and it never, ever occurred to me that there was a plan behind the whole thing… What I’ve learned from you is that being a parent is all about being responsible for introducing your kid to the world around them. A good parent curates reality for their children. They gather up all of the good stuff — all of the knowledge, opportunity, existential wonderfulness, and more — and they say, ‘Here’s what the world has to offer — go enjoy it!’”

—Tom Burns to his mother Eileen Burns

STORY: Why I’m Proud of My Transgender Dad and the Woman She’s Become

Forgiveness 

“I am writing to you now, to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the life lessons you have given me. People often ask me if I was sad and alone when you went to live in Argentina, following Hector, my stepfather, when I was 13 years old. I look back now and thank you, forgive you, and love you more. You gave me the strength to look at life differently.”

— Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, to her mother Susan Barrantes

Stability: 

“I miss you. I miss who you could have been had you known what I know now. Smile and spread those skinny arms of yours attached to those beautiful ‘capable’ hands and take me and your granddaughters into your soul. We are fine. You told me right before you died that I was a good mother and that meant so much to me coming from the best mother I could possibly have had. You are in my heart, you are my guardian angel… I know that for sure. Being in such a famous family, it must have felt like you were inconsequential, but that is not at all true. You are the soil beneath my feet. You are my first teacher and most importantly you are my own sweet and delicate mommy.”
— Mariel Hemingway to her mother Byra “Puck” Hemingway

STORY: After Daughters Act Up, Mom Turns to Facebook to Make Amends

Self-acceptance

“In college during rush week there wasn’t a multiracial group to join so you encouraged me to join both Black and Latino Student Unions. When I called crying saying I’m not Black enough or Latina enough, you comforted me from miles away and you told me that I was enough. And I believed you.”
— Sonia Kang to her mother Irene Martinez

Confidence 

“[When tragedy struck] you bounced back and found peace and happiness with a ‘new normal.’ You always made me know that we would be OK and not with magical thinking or waiting for miracles. Instead, you said that I would ‘find a way to find a way.’ Because you believed that I would succeed, I began to believe it too.”
— Dr. Phil McGraw to his mother Geraldine “Jerrie” McGraw

Identity 

“As a teen and up into my mid-twenties, I did everything I possibly could to make myself different, not only to my detriment but to yours as well… Like all teenage girls I had this ridiculous fear of growing up and becoming just like you. I was so ignorant and adamant about creating my ‘own’ identity. I woke up one day and realized that I am you. How could I not be? Why had I been fighting the inevitable for so long? You are the most beautiful, kind, generous, loving, and — let’s not forget — strongest person I have ever met and the best part is that you are MY mum. I am so proud to be your daughter.”
— Kelly Osbourne to her mother Sharon Osbourne

STORY: An Open Letter to the Moms Who Judged My Kids for Being Picky Eaters

Unconditional love

“Thank you for helping me learn that parenting mistakes don’t have to be traumatic battle scars; they are stepping-stones to evolve into a better person, a better parent, and a greater spiritual being. Thank you for teaching me unconditional love isn’t defined by the words you say, but by your presence, by your embrace, and by the simple actions you do like wholeheartedly cooking meals for your family.”
— Tejal Patel to her mother Kokila Patel

Success 

“When I was little, I so badly wanted Mrs. Brady. I’m sure she was a PTA mom, classroom mom, bake sale mom, carpool mom, signup-for-anything mom… You were Gertrude Stein mom… You took three buses to city college, transferred to SF State, and got your Masters. Now you’re 77 years old and teaching creative writing there. My hero.”
— Suzy Unger to her mother Barbara Rose Brooker

Reprinted from A LETTER TO MY MOM. Copyright © 2015 by Lisa Erspamer Entertainment LLC. Published by Crown Archetype, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photo credits courtesy of A Letter to My Mom. (Sonia Kang/Irene Martinez: Photo: Sharon Hardy.)

Please follow @YahooParenting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Have an interesting story to share about your family? E-mail us at YParenting (at) Yahoo.com.