Almost everyday I think about how great my parents are and how lucky I truly am. As soon as I read the quote, "a happy family is but an earlier heaven," I knew it to be true. I am so fortunate to have the life that I do and I owe it all to my parents.
Mom and Dad,
I have to admit, while growing up, I didn't often reflect on the luxuries I was afforded thanks to you. I didn't really think about how I had two hardworking parents who have full-time jobs just so they could provide for their kids. Half the things that you did, you didn't have to. Actually, I know a lot of people whose situation was nothing like mine.
You didn't have to fundraise like crazy (and pay out of pocket) so I could be lucky enough to go to Disney World three times within four years. You didn't have to let me join band, but you did, and you paid for the super-expensive clarinet and all of the repairs it inevitably had to have. You didn't have to come to every single band festival and band concert. You didn't have to come to nearly every. single. football game I've ever cheered at from the age of 5-17. You didn't have to pay for my phone, my clothes, my books, or my food. But you did anyway.
When I think about how expensive I must have been (and still am, with college tuition), it honestly petrifies me for when I will have kids someday. You gave me such a good life and I know it wasn't easy. But, a good parent is more than just giving money to their kids.
Now that I am in college, I am slowly realizing more and more what it must have been like to raise me and two words come to mind: I'm sorry.
Dad, I know I wasn't fun to deal with at 6 AM on school days and Mom, I know you listened to me cry nearly every day over drama with friends or how stressed I was over my 10th grade Social Studies class (now I wish I had a class like that).
I'm writing this to let you know how much I appreciate you both and everything that you have done for me. I am so thankful that I have my mother and my father in my life. Not everyone has both, and some don't have either.
I always secretly think that I have the best parents in the world, but now I'm boasting to everyone that will hear, I DO have the best parents in the world.
And I love you.
