Thank you for being there from the beginning, and setting the stage for everyone that follows.

Thank you for showing me what it means to love and be loved unconditionally. You taught me how I deserve to be treated by anyone who seeks my heart, and you taught me how to give this back in return.

Thank you for teaching me never to settle for less than I deserve. You instilled in me a character of morals and standards, of which I ought never to stray. You taught me that I deserve to surround myself with those who will be respectful of such. You taught me that I deserve people who will acknowledge the potential and value that I behold, and you taught me that there are people like that in the world.

Thank you for teaching me to never treat others with less than they deserve. You taught me to have respect, you taught me to be courteous, and you taught me to have manners. You taught me that my existence isn't just about how others treat me, but also how I treat others. You taught me that we are only as good as how we treat those who can do nothing for us, and you taught me that others deserve to be treated just the same as I do.

Thank you for teaching me to be humble. You taught me that, in fact, the world does not revolve around me, no matter how often I was convinced it did during my teenage years. You taught me not to have a selfish heart, and to consider others in all of my actions and thoughts.

Thank you for teaching me the necessity of hard work and determination. You taught me that in order to go where I want to in life, I need to put in the effort to make it happen. You taught me that it is foolish to rely on someone else to make my desires a reality, and you taught me the perseverance that is necessary to turn my efforts into triumphs.

Thank you for teaching me to handle letdown. You taught me that life doesn't always go exactly how we would like it to, and you taught me that that is okay. You taught me that there is something to take away from every situation, and you taught me how to walk away from that which is not nourishing to the soul. Most importantly, you taught me how to do so with grace and poise.

Thank you for teaching me to follow my dreams and shoot for the stars. You taught me that the potential of my life is limitless, and that my only true barrier is the one that I confine myself to. You taught me to continuously challenge and push myself, so that I am able to make an influence on this world to the greatest extent of my ability.

Thank you for showing me the qualities to look for in those that I allow entrance into my life, and thank you for showing my the qualities that I want to see in myself. You taught me what it feels like to be loved, to love others, and to love myself.

Thank you for shaping me into the person that I am today. This one is for you, Dad.