Michelle Obama wrote a heartfelt essay about her mom, Marian Robinson, in honor of Mother’s Day and encouraged fellow moms to ‘lift up’ their daughters’ voices. She also shared a gorgeous photo of her with Malia, Sasha, and Marian.

Michelle Obama, 55, wrote a thoughtful and personal dedication to her mom Marian Robinson, 81, who lived with her family in the White House for eight years, on Mother’s Day. Michelle shared a picture on Instagram of her, her mom, and her two beautiful daughters, Malia, 20, and Sasha, 17, alongside a sweet caption. Malia and Sasha have grown so much since their dad Barack Obama, 57, was elected president in 2008 and served two terms – the girls were only 10 and seven years old, respectively. In Michelle’s Instagram caption, she reflected on her childhood and growing up in Chicago. “Every time I’d come home from school with a story to share, my mother was there with a snack and a listening ear to hear about what was on my mind,” Michelle said. “When I came home with a tale about my disastrous second-grade classroom, she marched into the school to figure out what was going on.”

“And as I grew older, including up through my years as First Lady, she was always there for me as a guiding light through whatever fog was clouding my path,” Michelle continued. “She’s always listened more than she lectured; observed more than she demonstrated. In doing so, she allowed me to think for myself and develop my own voice.”

Michelle continued, talking about how her mom allowed her to pursue her passions. “From an early age, she saw that I had a flame inside me, and she never tempered it. She made sure that I could keep it lit. Mom, thank you for kindling that fire within me, and for your example as a mother and a grandmother to our girls. We would never be who we are today without you. #HappyMothersDay, Mom. Love you.”

Michelle also penned an essay for People magazine, in which she talked about her mother – and her father, Fraser, who died in 1991 – more. “She and my father, Fraser, were wholly invested in their children, pouring a deep and durable foundation of goodness and honesty, of right and wrong, into my brother [Craig, 47] and me. After that, they simply let us be ourselves.” Michelle continued, “It’s up to us, as mothers and mother-figures, to give the girls in our lives the kind of support that keeps their flame lit and lifts up their voices — not necessarily with our own words, but by letting them find the words themselves.” What a beautiful message! Happy Mother’s Day to Michelle, Marian, and all the other mother’s out there!