The older I get, the busier and more demanding my life seems to become. Every day I wake up and glance at my lengthy to-do list with disdain. Most of the time my daily tasks include readings I need to catch up on, laundry, or that paper I should've started a week ago. As I go about my day there are a million things running through my mind: "I need to email my advisor...I need to go to the grocery store soon so I don't starve...have I had a coffee yet today?"

However, I hate to admit that one thing that is not of the forefront of my mind is how the rest of my people are doing at home. Yes, I talk to my parents on the phone most days, but we all live hectic lives on different schedules, so some days it just doesn't happen. When I do get my mom on the phone, she never fails to ask, "Have you called your grandparents lately?" to which I reply, "Yeah, like last week," or "No, but I will tomorrow, I promise." Then, as I hang up the phone with my mom I glance at the clock and decide that Grandma and Grandpa's phone call can wait... I really have to go to the library.

I understand how easy it can be to get so caught up in your day-to-day routine and put off checking in on your loved ones because, you know, they still love you. I justify it in my head all the time: "Grandma and Grandpa are busy with their own lives, they're not going anywhere anytime soon, I don't need to check in on them everyday. They're fine." The truth is, however, that the older I get, the older they get too. Even if they're healthy and vibrant now, they're not going to be around forever. Even though I know they love me, I know they would still like to hear my voice every so often, even if it's just for a few minutes.

So this is a long overdue thank you letter to the two people whom I speak to the least, but love me the most.

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Growing up I never understood the importance of having two people like you in my life. When I was little I associated you both with hugs and kisses and spoils. Every day at your house was a new adventure, whether it was science experiments and puzzles, or movies and sleepovers, I always wanted to be with you. As I got older and began to find my own way, I still looked to you for hugs, but also for laughter and wisdom. The older I got, the more I realized that you both knew so much about the world that I had yet to learn. Through telling me stories about your childhoods, or families before I was born, I began to see you for the extraordinary people that you are. Individually and together you went through many struggles and hardships in your lives, just so that I wouldn't have to face the same ones in mine.

As high school came around I became more involved with sports and friends and my visits became less frequent. However, there you were in the stands of every game and every event. Never did you let something get in the way of supporting me and all my crazy endeavors. When it came time to graduate, you were the first people I saw after getting my diploma. Finally, when it came time for me to leave for college, you were one of my hardest goodbyes. As I step back and reflect, for twenty years you've been there for me in so many ways, sometimes visibly, but most of the time in the background; my backbone of support. Now, as I sit here and write this, I realized that I haven't called you in a while and that I don't call enough. I'm sorry for that, but thank you for understanding why.

Thank you for all your hugs and kisses. Thank you for all the stories and life lessons. Thank you for being there for all my victories and all my failures. Thank you for making me laugh and holding me when I cry. Thank you for reminding me of who I am when I seem to lose my way. Thank you for teaching me that family is the most important thing in life. Thank you for demonstrating that no amount of money could replace being a good person. Thank you for keeping me down to earth. Thank you for standing by me and all my decisions, good or bad. But most importantly, thank you for loving me unconditionally. And, in case I don't say it enough...I love you too.