Dear Mom and Dad,

I know I haven’t always had the words to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for me, but I hope you know how much I really do. For as long as I can remember, you both have been there right beside me, encouraging and supporting me in all that I do. Every dance recital, choir concert, awards ceremony, induction, bowling match… name it and you were there. Even if it couldn’t always be both of you (which 99% of the time wasn’t the case) there was someone in the audience rooting me on; a familiar smile I always looked for among the crowd.

At the end of it all, I always got a hug, a kiss, an “I’m proud of you” and an “I love you”. I remember dad crying at the end of my last state tournament senior year, hugging me as hard as he could with tears streaming down his face, and repeatedly telling me how proud he was of me and who I had turned out to be. But even though both of you give me all the credit, it’s you who you should be proud of. The lessons you’ve taught me may have been subtle and you might not have even realized I was watching, or even paying attention, but I definitely was.

You taught me how to be a good friend, daughter, sister, child of God, and girlfriend. You taught me to fight for what I want, try until I can’t give any more and to give it my all or nothing at all. You taught me to smile even when it seems impossible, do what makes me happy, and to be the best version of myself. But most importantly, you taught me what it means to have unconditional love. The love you have given me the past 20 years is what motivates me to wake up every day and work hard at my grades, my sorority, my relationships, my faith, my job, and well anything I care about, really. I do what I do because of what you do and have done for me.

I live every day to give you something to be proud of so that you both can learn to be proud of yourselves. You showed a lost girl exactly what life is about and how at the end of the day it’s love and family that matters most. I mean, of course I appreciate all the materialistic things you’ve provided me with over the years (especially paying in full for my college), but the thing that means the most to me is just your guidance, acceptance, and love. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. So every time you tell me you’re proud of me, just remember to be proud of yourselves too. I know I am.