Hey, Dad, what’s up? You should know you’re a pretty cool dad. I don’t think I tell you that often enough. I just wanted to take some time to say thank you. Thank you for being the strongest person in the world. Thank you for making me laugh whenever I need it. Thank you for putting up with my sass (to a certain extent), and thank you for being the first—and maybe only—man to love me unconditionally.

Thank you dad, for teaching me everything I know.

It’s funny because I never realized how much you knew until I realized how much I know. You used to sit at the kitchen table with me for hours helping me with my homework, helping me with job applications, or simply watching me eat and giving me solid advice. I never realized how much you were teaching me until the lesson was over. I don’t need you to edit any more of my papers, I don’t need you to help me with math, I can turn in a job application on my own now, and I made it through a semester of college on my own. It took me a while to realize, but you did all of that (with help from Mom, of course). I sit and think about all the countless things that you helped me with, and now I know how to help myself. So thank you, Dad, for teaching me everything and I’m sorry I never noticed until now.

Thank you, Dad, for dealing with so much.

I was such a troublemaker. I’m honestly surprised you didn’t ship me off to boarding school. Looking back on the past few years I realize that I was such a handful and yet you remained your cool, calm, and collected self. I don’t know how you do it. Not only do you deal with me, but you are surrounded in a house full of women, and none of us are particularly easy to deal with. We make stupid mistakes like putting hand soap in the dishwasher, accidentally putting diesel fuel in a car, accidentally running a car into the mailbox; and I can still say that you stayed calm through all of it. I wish I could be more like you. You deal with so much on a daily basis, and you do everything with such ease. So thank you, Dad, for dealing with so much, and I’m sorry that you have to.

Thank you for always reminding me that you love me.

You say it at the end of every phone call, every time I go upstairs to go to sleep, basically any chance you get. And I take it for granted. I always know that you love me, but I am just starting to realize how unconditional it is. You still say it after every argument, and after every mistake and bad decision I’ve ever made. There may be a time in my life where a guy will love me (and that time could even be now), but I’ve come to realize that no amount of love from a guy can be as unconditional as the love you have for me. So thank you, Dad, for always reminding me that you love me, because now I know how much you really do. And I’m sorry, Dad, for not saying it back as often as I should.

Thank you, Dad, for being you.

Everybody thinks that they have the best dad in the world, and I’m one of those people. I wouldn’t want any other person cheering me on through all my successes, and helping me off the ground through my failures. You are the kind of dad I pray my kids have. So thank you, Dad, for simply being you, and I’m sorry I never properly thanked you until now.

Love,

Your (favorite) daughter