‘You’ll always be a cool mom’
Dearest Mama,
I’m writing this from New York, a week before graduation and just a few days before you land. After two years of juggling readings, deadlines, Zoom calls, and the occasional bout of existential student drama, we’re here. We did it.
Thanksgiving, 2023. We stood near Central Park, watching inflated cartoon characters drift above a crowd pressing in from all sides. It should have been unbearable. It was, in a way. And yet I return to that memory with surprising clarity: you and I, holding our ground amid strangers, laughing at the absurdity. “Why didn’t we just watch it on TV?!” But that’s us. We always choose the slightly insane, fully lived-in version of things.
New York has been a kind of mirror for me. We first came here when the world reopened after lockdown, and something about the city’s chaos and beauty made me feel more like myself than I had in a long time. Since then, it’s been the backdrop for everything: late-night epiphanies, introspective walks, and the slow evolution of who I’m becoming. It was also where we had those hard conversations, navigating the unfamiliar territory of being an adult daughter with an adult mother. What came out of it is a relationship that feels stronger, clearer, and more grounded—not based on roles, but on the people we’ve grown into.
There are mothers who mother, and there are mothers who befriend. The overlap is smaller than people might think. You manage to be both, seemingly without effort. That’s why you’ll always be the cool mom—not just because people say we look like sisters (which you love), but because of how you show up with heart, humor, and generosity.
Balancing grad school with a full-time role at media.Xchange wasn’t easy, especially with you as my boss. But we’ve made it work. I’m excited for the next chapter, where we’ll take on new projects that challenge us and, yes, test our patience. Still, I feel proud of the rhythm we’ve found. It’s come a long way since I started eight years ago.
Growing up, there was never pressure to chase perfect grades. You and Papa cared more about who I would become—someone kind, respectful, and curious about the world. You pulled me out of classes for family trips abroad, believing I’d learn more outside the classroom than in it. You were right. I’m grateful for the environment that helped me understand the world more deeply and taught me to stand up when something isn’t right.
Thank you for the quiet sacrifices and the big ones, for showing up even when you were tired, and for giving everything you could, even when it wasn’t easy. Thank you for loving me in a way that made space for who I am becoming.
Safe travels, and see you soon, Ma!
Love always,
Kara
Kara Vibal Guioguio recently graduated with an Executive Masters in Marketing and Strategic Communications degree from New York University. She is the managing director of media.Xchange, the PR firm founded by her mother, Peachy Vibal-Guioguio.
