As a teenager, I feel as though we tend to be an unintentionally, unthankful mass toward our parents. I am very guilty of this. I would like to believe that I am a prized child to my parents and that they should be thankful to have me as their daughter and as a whole, they should be. I attend to my schoolwork while working hard at my music studies and repertoire. I balance my social life with my academics and try to find time for myself. I am clean-cut, do not stray from the path with partying, do not take any business with illegal substances and am respectful to others. In my eyes, I am the perfect child. The more I age and the closer college move-in day gets, I begin to realize my unending faults.

As teenagers, I believe that we have very stressful and even hectic lives. I won’t deny this because it's certainly true. There are so many individuals placing so much hope and investment in us for our futures. With all of this stripped and taken away from the base of our existence is where we find our flaws unraveling out of control.

Throughout high school I found myself constantly disregarding my parents’ advice, suggestions, and support just for the hell of it. I was moody and refused to believe that they wanted the best for me. I was the typical teenager that believed that I would never in a million years accept this epiphany as a reality as many people, including my parents, said I would.

Move-in day began to reveal all of my uncomfortable feelings. I know I should not be nervous. I live a half-hour from my college and I am more than independent. What scares me is not seeing my parents every day. I know, something I never believed would ever happen.

I genuinely wish my parents knew their value and worth to me. So, here we go.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I love you. I know how cliché that beginning is, but it was necessary before I started to compose this letter. It is so hard to believe that my time as a child is quickly ending as I am now spreading my wings and moving out. I have always joked with you both that I doubted you would miss me, but deep down that was one of my biggest fears. As much as I had preached about leaving home and never returning, I was always petrified of the idea of not having a permanent home other than my room. Thank you for always telling me that no matter where I chose to study, the light, and the air-conditioning, would always be on in my room.

I wish now more than ever that I hadn’t said the hurtful things I had said prior to this letter. I was certainly the stereotypical moody teenager who reverted to her very messy room when times were trying. Thinking back, those times were probably harder on me than they were on you. I would lay in bed begging that you would forgive me and that you would both, in the following morning, forget about the fight we had the previous night so we could move on from the awkward stage we were in at that very moment.

Thank you for always providing for me. Whether it was the $20 dollars I tried to mooch off of you, Dad, for gas money, or begging mom for new clothes, ultimately you always made sure I had what I needed and then what I wanted. I grew up with more than I could need and it meant the world to me. More than that, it made me proud of you. I had parents who worked harder than most people do in their entire lifetime. Best of all, you did it all selflessly for my brother and me.

This easily brings me to my next point of why I love the both of you more than words can express: your work ethic. I have never met more hardworking people in my entire life. You have shown me what true blood, sweat, and tears will help someone achieve. Nothing ever came easy to us, rather you both made massive sacrifices to get to where we are now. Your loyalty to work was incredible but more so the loyalty you have shown me was even greater. You never let me down nor did you ever stray from being supportive, loving parents. You went to work every day knowing why you were working; to provide for our family and to make sure we were taken care of.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always believing in me. When times were rough I was quick to put myself down and fill my head with negative attributions while being constantly hurtful towards the people who loved me and I loved the most. These were my parents. I can remember the feeling of guilt for causing you both such pain and grief because I had a rough day at school. Truthfully, I still feel guilt round itself into my heart for putting you through those trying and nasty times.

I know that none of this is very organized because truthfully we aren’t a very organized bunch. However, I know that all of these statements and explanations will make sense for the both of you as you were never unorganized with the care for our family.

I love you both. I am so lucky to have the two of you as parents and I hope you never question if I believe that.

Love you always.