When you were four, they were your everything because they were everything you knew. My father's shoulders were somehow the safest place on Earth. My mom's minivan was my second home. I am blessed to have wonderful and supporting parents, even if I haven't always known that. I'm not saying we are the perfect picture of suburbia. This isn't "Full House" or "The Brady Bunch," and I didn't just get a life lesson followed by a hug at the end of the episode. I got so much more than that. I haven't always gotten along with them either, but perfection is just a word used by people striving for something better, when they already have the best. Here are 10 things I want to tell my parents. Hopefully most, if not all, apply to you:
1. Thank you for never judging me.
No matter what I did or what underaged tattoo I bought (true story), you never thought less of me. I tested your limits, but the limits of your love are endless.
2. I am not going to be a lawyer.
"You love to argue." "I'll see you in law school in three years." I do love to argue and I do love you—my dual lawyer parents—but I will not be following in this path.
3. I'm sorry for not always being as there for you as you are for me.
I'm a selfish, self-important kid currently pretending to be an adult. I will act like I know all, way into my 30s and possibly later. Hopefully then, I can repay you for all of the nights you told me it was going to be okay.
4. Thank you for not judging my boyfriends.
No matter what, my parents have always let me decide my relationship status. You never told me who I could or could not date. You didn't judge by race or money. You gave advice when it was needed, but never gave me an ultimatum. You've fed strangers because they were important to me, even if you knew sometimes they had hurt me. You gave them a chance as long as I gave them one.
5. Thank you for driving me EVERYWHERE with no complaint (kind of).
After I got my license and was the only one in town blessed enough to have a car, I learned the true meaning of driving people everywhere. I was a new driver and still got sick of it. You have driven for decades (shout out to your age, sorry!), with little to no complaint.
6. Thank you for every soccer game, dance recital, and lacrosse match.
You were always on my side once again. The coach was wrong and you were right. The other teammates were always "just jealous of me." Hate to break it to ya, but I wasn't that gifted at basketball. But no matter what, the world was in the wrong and I was in the right in your eyes. The confidence this instilled in me will stay for the rest of my life.
7. Thank you for supporting my anti-social movie nights.
Bottomless popcorn will always be better than bottomless mimosas because they're shared with you! Thank you for watching "What a Girl Wants" 50 times with me, Mom (and Dad!).
8. You were so right.
About everything. Even on the things you were wrong about, you were still right? I don't know how you've gained this set of skills, but I hope it's a package deal with the whole parenthood thing.
9. Thank you for telling me I'm beautiful.
You even told me that during my sixth-grade, chubby, pimply, pubescent self phase. I didn't always believe you, but after learning that this usually means a lot more than surface looks, I learned you are the reason that I am confident in myself in physical and mental form. I love myself because you always loved me. I will always eat the French fries before the salad. I will always have moments of insecurities, but one call from you can change that. This is a tough world filled with bodies shaped by Photoshop, and you've taught me how to deal with it.
10. THANK YOU!
This turned into a lot of thank yous, but as I was writing this I didn't even realize that was the format for the majority of my points. I so effortlessly thank you in print, but need to do so more in person. This is easy to say, but harder to do. When you've given me everything, expecting nothing, it's easy to forget to say thank you to parents for the infinite of "thank yous" I'm surely forgetting.
