Dear Mom and Dad,

I appreciate all that you’ve done for me.

You made sure I went to the better schools in our area, took care of me when I was sick, and did all that you could to provide for me. I followed after you two for nearly that past 18 years and I’m glad it was your footsteps I got to walk in. But I can’t anymore.

College is a wondrous time of stress and freedom. I’m meeting new people, attending class at my own chosen schedule, and facing new experiences on my own. That last part probably scares you- that I’m doing new things on my own - but you raised me well enough to easily differentiate right from wrong and I’m glad for that mentality you gave me. I’ve learned so much from the both of you but now it’s time for me to learn lessons on my own and from my own experience.

For so long I have been kept under your household, which I didn’t mind, but now that I’m able to live in the dorms of my college you need to understand that I don’t want to come home every weekend. I would rather become homesick that sick of home. The taste of my new freedom is pure ambrosia to my soul, and up until now I hadn’t realize how little I had of it.

The world is a scary place, I completely understand that. As someone who wants to pursue Journalism, I read everything that’s in the news and understand the dangers that are present in the world. But I also know about the kind warm-hearted souls that are making a difference in the world and are trying to spread the good around. You’ve protected me for so long but it’s time that I face reality without being held back. I want to be able to ride the bus, learn how to take to train, walk around alone, get lost and find my way back, without you worrying. Because although I’ve following in your footsteps for practically my whole life, I’ve forgotten how mine actually looked like.

The path is mine for the taking and I can’t be held back from going on this course. Taking initiative isn’t something I was able to inherent from you two, which is why I need to be on my own away from home to learn how to do so. Even talking to the library assistant for a book was a huge step for me, and I still have hundreds of stairs to climb. My place in the world is elsewhere, and I won’t find it at home (where you ask me to be on the weekends) or somewhere near your side. The future won’t wait for me and I can’t wait for the future. But the skills I’ll learn from becoming independent and from the experiences that don’t directly include you will benefit me at the end of the day.

From,