My Mother’s Daughter

I caught myself laughing the other day With my head thrown back in

that familiar way

My best friend smiled and said,

“You know

You sound just like your mama when you do that”

I used to roll my eyes when she’d say

“Call me when you get there,

okay?” Now I wait up when the people I love Are driving

home too late

Funny how the years go

by

And change the things you thought you

knew

I’m my mother’s daughter More than I ever understood Got her stubborn

heart inside me

And her habit of seeing good In people who don’t always deserve

it

In days that don’t go right

I used to think I was so different

Now I see her in my life And I’m proud to be

My mother’s daughter

I found an old picture in a kitchen drawer She was twenty-six,

maybe twenty-four

Holding baby me with tired eyes And a smile I thought would

never disappear

I always thought she had the answers That nothing ever made her

scared

Now I wonder how many nights she cried When nobody else was

there

She was learning how to live

While she was teaching me to try

I’m my mother’s daughter More than I ever understood

Got her stubborn heart inside me

And her habit of seeing good In people who don’t always deserve

it In days that don’t go right I used to think I

was so different

Now I see her in my life And I’m proud to be

My mother’s daughter

I wish I’d known back then

That you were figuring it out too

I thought you were holding up the world

When the world was leaning hard on you

And if I ever have a daughter

I hope she’ll know one thing is true

Everything that’s good in me

Was loved into being by

you

I’M MY MOTHER’S DAUGHTER

And I finally understand

All the strength I thought was mine alone Was something you put

in my hands Through the years I tried to be different Through

the times I lost my way

I kept finding little pieces of you In the woman I became

And I’m proud to be

Oh, so proud to be

My mother’s daughter

And Mom, if you’re listening…

I hope you’re proud of me.