I’m in my room, legs crossed and sitting in the middle of my bed. I look at a photo. A photo of a little girl. She isn’t even 12 yet. The little girl in the photo smiles up at me. She’s facing the camera with the biggest and brightest smile I have ever seen. Her dark brown eyes light up in the photo. Her curly black hair that barely falls past her shoulders. She hugs a woman who stands next to her in a big embrace. The woman hugs her back. She too smiles a bright smile. But her smile is brighter than the little girl’s. There is a love and soft look in the way she smiles. She hugs the little girl tight. If you look at the woman closer, you can tell that the little girl is the reason she smiles. She smiles because the little girl is her pride and joy. She would never hurt her or let anything hurt her. She would risk everything for her. She would do anything for her. She will always put the little girl’s needs before her. Making sure the little girl takes her steps through life safely. She would do anything to see the little girl smile and be happy. She loves the little girl with all her heart and more. She knows that they might not look alike, but they are still family, forever and always. Trust me. I know this all. Because in that photo. The little girl is me, and the woman next to me is my mom.