I am miles away from home and missing it more than ever as I stare at a string of photos of us that hovers over my bed. The closer I get to “becoming an adult,” the more important it is for me express my gratitude for you. You always said you couldn’t believe I was living on my own at school miles away… but it was only through your strength—and maybe your chocolate chip cookies—that I am where I am today.
1. Thank you for driving me everywhere.
Thank you for picking me up after school and for taking me to and from voice lessons, birthday parties, soccer practice, school dances, the movies, baseball games, auditions, a friend’s house, dance recitals, club meetings, rehearsals, the mall… You were my lifeline, and mom and dad’s saving grace.
2. Thank you for sitting through all my favorite TV shows with me when you came over to babysit.
No one laughed harder at "All That" and "Hey Arnold" as much as we did.
3. Thank you for letting me stay up past my bedtime when my mom and dad told you 8:30 p.m. at the latest.
Thank you for carrying me up the stairs when I was too tired to walk.
4. Thank you for quite literally being my No. 1 fan.
You were always there. The amount a grandparent can brag about their grandkid seems ridiculous when you are young, but when you lose sight of who you are as you grow older, you hold on to this for dear life. My grandparents never failed to make me feel special.
5. Thank you for going along with the joke... even when you had no idea what we were talking about.
"What is a dab?"
"Not sure but all the kids are doing it these days, Helen. "
There is no one quite as cool as a grandparent… especially when they become the star of Vine overnight with a video impersonation of Lil TerRio. Did I mention my grandparents have their own IPhones, Facebooks, Instagrams, Snapchats and Twitter accounts?
6. Thank you for your wisdom.
There is nothing better than a story passed down from earlier generations. Your grandparents have probably lived through it all. Respect that and listen.
7. Thank you for the pictures, the scrapbooks, the playbills you saved and the family photos you held on to.
These are the memories I hold closest to my heart when I am alone at school.
8. Thank you for the adventures.
The endless drives to Washington D.C. to see the monuments and the Christmas trees, the impromptu trips to the Empire State Building, the bicycle rides around the block and the family vacations.
9. Thank you for teaching me the value of unconditional love.
I only wish to build a family someday as loving as you did.
10. Thank you for treating me as your equal.
I will never be able to express how grateful I am to have had someone who listened with an open mind, understood, and offered advice from a loving standpoint.
11. Finally, thank you for your humor.
When your friends want to hang with your grandparents, that's when you know they are pretty awesome.
If you are lucky enough to still have your grandparents in your life, let them know what a joy it is to have them around. You never really know what you have until it’s gone.
I love you today, tomorrow and forever.
