My First Call

They say the loudest love gets remembered

The one who filled the room

But when the world went quiet on me

I always ran to you

You were the voice that steadied my breathing

When I didn't know who to be

I never doubted where I belonged

I just picked up the phone and called you

You don't see it the way I do

But I need you to know the truth

You were my first call, my safe place

The one who never walked away

They might've praised him louder

But you were the one who stayed

I know you thought you stood in his shadow

But you were the light that found me first

If love could be measured in who shows up

Mom, you were my whole world

We're cut from the same hard-headed fire

Yeah, we clash, yeah, we fight

Two stubborn souls who never back down

Convinced we're always right

You held the line when I pushed against it

I called it control, you called it care

Turns out protection looks a lot like love

When you're the one who's always there

Funny how time clears the smoke

And lets us finally say what we both know

You were my first call, my compass

Even when I couldn't see

You were guarding my future

While I was chasing who I'd be

I see it now, what you were doing

Every rule was a prayer in disguise

You weren't trying to cage me

You were teaching me how to survive

We're older now, softer around the edges

Wiser than we used to be

Talking like friends instead of wounds

Finally hearing each other clearly

You've been through hell in your own body

Fighting battles no one saw

And now you're smiling like the sun's back out

Like there's still so much life to walk

Here's to new years and open roads

To laughter we still haven't found

Here's to adventures we put on hold

And finally getting to live them now

You were my first call, my constant

My mirror, my warning sign

We grew into better versions

At the same damn time

So if you ever feel forgotten

Or like love passed you by

Just know the strongest part of me

Is the part that's just like you inside

This year I don't want more time

I just want more days like this

Talking, laughing, moving forward

Mom... I'm so glad you're still here for it