Dear My mother.,

My mother taught me that I have broad shoulders and thick skin. My mother also taught me how to demonstrate that I can handle anything that gets thrown at me, without complaint, without tears, without showing anyone that I'm hurting. With a smile on my face.
My mother taught me to be brave, even in times where I didn't need to be, in times where I shouldn't have been. Times when I needed to show that I'm hurting, with tears.
Now as I've grown, I have been stuck in my mother's ways, stuck in a cycle of unhealthy coping mechanisms, cycles of putting on a brave face and biting my tongue.
My mother taught me that I have broad shoulders and thick skin, the thickest skin.