To My Single Father,

Thank you. When most people think of single parents, they think of single mothers, because they are more common and tend to take most people's sympathies. Not to say that they don't deserve this, but to my single dad, you are not forgotten. I know that you have struggled just as much as single moms do, in similar and different ways. You have struggled to make ends meet, and have done your best to provide for all of our wants and needs. You have sacrificed so much to put me in the position that I am in today, sacrificed to help people when they did not always treat you the best, sacrificed your time, energy, and basically all that you are for others. You paid for guitar lessons, paid for private school, drove me to the ends of the earth and back on late nights and early mornings no matter how tired you were and how I was treating your that day. Thank you for the forgiveness. All of the times that I have messed up, you have shown me true, unconditional love by never holding it against me, and always making it seem like it never happened the next day. Though this may not have been the biggest deal to you, it has been so important to me, showing me what it means to truly love others. Thank you, dad, for showing me what it means to truly serve others. In every aspect of your life, you have shown me how to serve, and how to put others above yourself in every aspect of your life. I pray that I can serve as well as I have seen you serve others because that is how Christ has called us to live as His followers.

Now that I am away from home, I reflect on all of the lessons that you have taught me and the example that you have shown. Now that I am hours away and no longer have anybody to direct my steps other than myself, I seek guidance from the memories that I hold and the years of training that I did not even know that I was receiving. I remember that no matter what I wanted to do, or what I wanted to be, you always believed in me. When I wanted to be a lawyer and go to Harvard, when I wanted to be a chef, and even when I had aspirations of being a rockstar; as long as I went to college and got an education, you believed that I could do anything, and still believe that I have it in me to do anything (although you dreamed of me running the family business one day).

So thank you dad, thank you for the last 19 years and not taking me out of this world, knowing that you could since you brought me into it.

With Love,

Your Grateful Son