Jodh Gill is a Residence Don at St. Michael’s College and a kinesiology student at the University of Toronto. In his free time, he enjoys biking around the city and going to the gym. Originally from beautiful British Columbia, being far from home hasn’t been easy – but the community at St. Mike’s has made it feel like home, even if nothing quite replaces his mom’s cooking.
Dear Mom,
I’ve been away from home for almost four years now, and somehow, with each year, it doesn’t get easier, it gets harder in a different way. When I first left, I thought time would slowly make things feel more normal. But instead, it’s made me realize just how much of my life is rooted in you.
I miss you. I miss your roti, I miss the feeling of just being able to exist in your presence, safe, understood, and cared for in a way that only you can. I miss the smallest things the most: you tucking me into bed, waking me up with a morning kiss, those quiet car rides to school that didn’t feel important then, but mean everything now.
Being away has taught me a lot. It’s taught me independence, sure, but more than that, it’s taught me gratitude. Every day, I find myself thinking about something new I’m thankful for when it comes to you. And the older I get, the more I begin to understand the depth of what you’ve done for me, things I couldn’t fully see as a kid.
You are not just my mom. You are my source of strength, my role model, and truly, my best friend.
With each year that I grow older, I’m starting to see how much of yourself you gave up so that I could have everything. No one asked you to do the things you did. No one had to. Love was enough. Love carried you through sleepless nights, early mornings, endless stress, and still, somehow, your priority was always me and Neerav.
You’re the type of person who would give up your own meal so we could eat. The type of person who wouldn’t fall asleep until you knew I was safe. The type of person who, even with a million things on your mind, always made sure I was okay first. And when I was in pain, you didn’t rest, you tried to ease it, staying up for days, doing everything in your power to make it better.
You carried not just your own struggles, but ours too, so we didn’t have to feel the weight of them.
I think about all the things you did behind the scenes: the appointments, the parenting books, the sacrifices, the decisions you made just to give us opportunities you never had. You made sure we smiled, even if it meant you had to hide your own stress. And even when saying no would have been easier, you struggled to, because your heart was too big.
Being away from home, I think about it a lot more — how I wish I had shown my appreciation for everything you do for us. I still catch myself not reaching out as much as I should, and I kick myself for it. But even then, you’re always the one calling, always the one picking up, always there. And I’ve come to realize how rare and special that is, to have someone love you that consistently, that unconditionally.
You’ve always been the person who wipes my tears, celebrates my wins, and stands by me no matter what. You’ve shown me what it means to be selfless, to be kind, to persevere even when life feels overwhelming. Watching you carry everything you do has shaped me into the person I’m becoming. Every good part of me traces back to you.
Sometimes, I feel like I have to work so hard just to be half the person you are. I wonder if I’ll ever truly be worthy of everything you’ve done for me. But that feeling drives me through being a student. It pushes me to be better, to live in a way that reflects even a fraction of your strength and your heart.
You’ve impacted not just me, but everyone around you. To my friends, you’re the “cool mom,” the kindest mom, the one who treats everyone like family. And that’s just who you are. You give endlessly, love deeply, and expect nothing in return.
Mom, I don’t think words will ever fully capture how much you mean to me. You are the heart of our family. You are the reason I believe in unconditional love. You are my constant, my foundation, my home, no matter how far away I am.
I wake up every day feeling blessed that I get to call you my mom.
I love you more than I could ever properly say. And I hope that, in everything I do, I make you proud.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Love always, Jodh
Read other InsightOut posts.