Throughout most of my college career, I have worked hard to get what I want and to get where I am today. I have made a lot of mistakes and I spent a lot of time trying to fix them. I juggled with more than one job, school and blogs, all while trying to maintain a family and social life. I spent a lot of time stressing about things people my age weren’t really worried about. A far-fetched thought to them was my reality. My friends all wondered how I did. See, I have parents that taught my siblings and I the importance of hard work. They taught me what it means to respect everyone, to love hard, to forgive and to value myself.
Sometimes, my parents have a hard time understanding why I am so strong, when I don’t have to be, and why I work so hard, when I don’t have to. They don’t understand why it is important to me to have my own things and pay my own bills. They don’t understand why I’d rather struggle a little to live by myself than stay at home rent free. It’s nothing personal.
My parents have worked extremely hard my entire life to give me everything that I want and need. I have watched them go without so that I could have what I wanted. They never complained once. I am at the age now where I can take the initiative to do things for myself so that they don’t have to. I have two younger siblings and it is important that I set an example for them. It is also very important to me to take as much stress off my parents as I can. Sometimes, it does not always work in my favor. But, I try and every struggle and every obstacle that I worked hard to overcome taught me character and appreciation. Some of the things that I have been through now, most adults don’t go through until further down the road. I am glad that I am dealing with it early because I’ve learned how to tackle it head on at its early stages. I am working hard now so that soon, they won’t have to. That's more important to me than a temporary struggle.
Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank you. Thank you for everything. Words cannot express how truly grateful I am to be loved by you. I pray every night that I can learn to love even half as hard as you. Thank you for allowing me to be who I am and thank you for being the perfect example of who I want to be. Thank for always supporting and believing me in times when I didn't even believe in myself. I appreciate everything you have done for me and I appreciate the things you have sacrificed for me. Most importantly, thank you for giving me two awesomely annoying siblings.
Love,
Toni
