As life has taken me on new adventures and different paths, as it has beaten me up and broken me down, as it has turned me into the person I am today, there’s something I’ve realized that I do not tell you enough: thank you.

Thank you for being someone I can look up to, in every aspect of the phrase. Thank you for showing me how to be incredibly selfless and generous to each and every walk of life I encounter, for setting the example that judgment of another human is a waste of time. Thank you for always reminding me to exit my comfort zone and try something new, for never holding me back from a new undertaking, for encouraging me into anything that will help me grow. Thank you for supporting me in each and every one of my decisions, even the ones you may not agree with. Thank you, dad, for forgiving my mistakes, for still hugging me at the end of the days that I have backpedaled and stumbled away from my full potential. Thank you for being someone that I can always call for advice, for always being humble enough to admit when you don’t really know how to help, but continue to listen to me. Thank you for always making sure I’m safe, for trying to protect even from different cities and states, for always having my back, for being the “strict” parent in high school. Thank you for the “have a good day” text messages, the phone calls to just to say hi, and the quick trips we take to the grocery store together. Thank you for your sense of humor, for your cheesy jokes when I’m feeling down, for your YouTube worthy dance moves/Grammy-winning singing voice in the car.

Thank you for showing me how to be the life of the party, but for also showing me how to take it easy and look out for everyone else at the party. Thank you, Dad, for raising me to love and value my family, for showing me the worth in maintaining relationships with my relatives, for being the perfect example of doing just that. Thank you for teaching me to be a hard worker, for showing me that if I set my mind to something and dedicate myself, it’s achievable. Thank you for showing me forgiveness and compassion for others, but for also allowing me to be selfish and take time for myself when I need it. Thank you spoiling me at times, and thanks for doing so even when I deserve it the least. Thank you for taking me to sporting events my whole life, for encouraging me to go out for the team, for sparking my interest in new things. Thank you for remembering the little things I tell you, for being genuinely interested in everything I have to say.

Thank you, dad, for always reminding me that I matter, that I’m loved, that I deserve nothing less than all the happiness in the world. And thank you for doing so even when I forget to thank you for it.