I’m sorry.

I’m sorry for all of the times when I snapped at you simply because you were there.

I’m sorry for all of the times when I didn’t try in school just because I felt lazy.

I’m sorry for that brief period of time when I hated being Indian and I just wanted to have blond hair, blue eyes, and be Christian like everyone else around me.

I’m sorry for all of the times I squandered any opportunity that you worked so hard to get me.

I’m sorry that I will never truly understand the struggles you went through: moving to an entirely new country, away from your family, your friends, and the city where you spent your entire life.

I’m sorry for all of the times when I acted like a brat because you didn’t buy me that piece of clothing that I had to have.

I’m sorry for all of the times when I dismissed your ideas because I thought that there was no way that you could be right.

I’m sorry that I’m not the daughter who you deserve. I’m far from perfect, but everything that I do leads back to making you proud and ensuring that every single sacrifice that you made was not in vain.

Dad, I know how much you worked to get a good education and a good job. Who am I to complain when you would always buy any study book that I needed? Who am I to complain when you would always offer to help me and always pushed me to aim higher? Who am I to complain when you made sure that I didn’t have to worry about anything but my studies? Who am I to complain when you didn’t even have enough money to buy your school textbooks growing up, but still graduated the top of your class? Who am I to complain when I was handed everything on a golden platter that you forged for me and all I had to do was put in a little effort?

Mommy, I don’t think that I can ever fully express how much I appreciate your sacrifices for me. You got married before you could even legally drink and, a couple years later, you had the responsibility of two children thrust upon you. Instead of choosing yourself and your own interests, you sacrificed everything for us. When we didn’t have a lot of money when I was younger and Deepthi and I wanted McDonalds, you would buy us the full Happy Meal and not get anything for yourself. When you had to choose between the career that you always wanted and us, you chose us. When you had a 103-degree fever and I needed to buy something for school, you could have just said that you didn’t want to do it, but you never did and you never would.

I’m never going to fully understand all of the sacrifices that both of you made for us simply because you both wanted to give us something that neither of you had. I’m never going to feel the pain that you both feel when you see us squandering all the opportunities that you guys had to slave away for. I’m never going to understand what motivated both of you to work so hard for benefits that you wouldn’t get immediately, but would, instead, hand to me and Deepthi.

In all honestly, I’m quite undeserving of all of the sacrifices that both of you made. I’m not the perfect daughter that both of you deserve and I don’t think that I could ever be.

I know that a lot of people believe that immigrant parents are unnecessarily harsh on their children. As a child of immigrant parents, though, I understand why they are. Most immigrant parents just want their children to succeed in a way that they didn’t have the ability or opportunity to reach. My parents don’t want straight As. They want to know that, no matter what letter grade I end up bringing home, I put my all into it. I might not be perfect, but out of respect for everything that you both have done for me, I can make sure that I do this at least.

Mommy, Dad, this letter is a sad excuse for all of the thank you’s that both of you deserve. If this article was able to convey even 10 percent of all of the gratitude that I have for you guys, I’ll be happy. When I was growing up, I never understood how much both of you sacrificed for us. I didn't realize that both of you literally had to build a foundation from nothing just so that we could use it to reach for the stars. I do realize it now, though, and I sincerely thank you.