Dear Daddy,

I wanted to wish you a happy birthday. This year, I wanted to do it a little differently; seeing as I’ll be heading off to college next year and you won’t be seeing me everyday when you get home from work, I wanted to give you something that you could have for the days you miss your little girl a little extra, or just need a reminder of how important you are to me and everyone else you know. You are the most unique and incredible man I have ever known, and I’m so lucky that I just happen to be 50% you!

Thank you for being wacky and silly. Thank you for having the best yet corniest sense of humor of anyone I know. Your laugh, while ridiculous and somewhat resembles that of a little girl, is contagious and never fails to send tears of laughter running down my face. You have helped me to form a sense of humor that has made me significantly more interesting and allowed me to actually make friends. Thank you for always trying to cheer me up even if I try to push you away because of how stubborn I can be. Thank you for pulling me close and strengthening our relationship with everyday that we spend together.

Thank you for caring; obviously you care because you’re my dad, but I mean thank you for showing that you care. I appreciate that you never overuse expressions like “I’m so proud of you!” or “You did a great job!” because when you do say things like that I know you mean it. I value everything you say because you understand what matters to me and when I need words of encouragement. Thank you for being the biggest man in my life, (not a fat joke, I swear!) and easily the most important. No matter who I meet for some strange reason I always imagine you to be the tallest man I’ve ever met, maybe it has something to do with always looking up at you when I was much smaller. Thank you for making me feel safe and protecting me, for always making sure I come home at a reasonable hour, for always joking about the Angeles National Forest and shovels and the boys I date, and for keeping my best interest at heart. There is no man who could replace you or outrank you in anyway in my mind.

Thank you for shaping me. Thank you for instilling an incredible amount of strength within me and always encouraging, but never pushing, me to be the best version of me that I can. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and embracing all that comes with that statement. Thank you for understanding my humor when other people don’t, for understanding when I desperately need space, thank you for motivating me to try things I assume I’ll hate and turn out loving. Thank you for being the smartest man I know, and always helping me before I even realize I need it. Thank you for being so patient with me after all of these years, even when I make it difficult to do so.

It’s clear to see that I admire you, and I always have. Since I have gotten older, my adoration for you has only grown. I feel so lucky whenever I get to come with you to work or work functions because the first thing I do is ask your co-workers what you’re like at work. It fills me with joy to hear people telling me how kind, patient, intelligent, and funny you are.

Thank you for being my dad, it’s not an easy job, and you truly are the only man I could imagine doing this job. I know I may not always say it, but I appreciate you and love you more than I could truly ever explain. Happy 55th Daddio, you’re one of my biggest role models and best friends, and I hope that I can be here to celebrate with you for another 55 years.