Dear Mom and Dad,
The day I was born was life changing for all of us. I was brought into a broken world that needed to be fixed, and you both were put in my life to guide me and love me. As I began to grow, you began to see your hard work pay off. I went from a little baby relying heavily on both of you, to a toddler running around beginning to experiment with life, while still being watched over by you.
As the time passed, I became more of my own person. Going into elementary school was a big transition for all of us. I began to make friends and learn from teachers, began to develop basic fundamentals in life like, reading, writing, and tying my shoes. Each step of the way you continued to push me to become a better person, you cheered me on and continued to love me. The more I grew, the more you had to let go. As I walked across the stage signifying the end of my elementary school days, you both were teary-eyed and sad, and as the day came to an end, you took a box of tissues and quietly cried. With my ear on the door, I heard mom say "Time has flown by, why can't they just stay small forever?".
In just two and a half months, middle school had come. The morning of my first day of school, you both cooked me breakfast and drove me to school. As we pulled into the school, mom began praying over me and asking God to protect me from the crooked ways of the world. Not understanding what you meant, I gave you both a hug and a kiss before leaving the car. While walking away I began to think what you meant, but couldn't wrap my head around it, so I went in and saw my friends. Through the three years, I began to realize what mom was talking about, rumors began to spread, and I started to be bullied and teased. After school one day, I remembered coming home and running into your guys' arms and crying, not understanding what was wrong with me. You both began to pray over me and asked God to give me this blanket of security and assurance that everything was going to be okay. What was three years of my life, felt like weeks. The end of my eighth grade year came and we all we all were sitting in the gym as the teachers, staff, and principle are saying their good-byes, but the only thing I remember was thanking God that He was there with me through the trials I went through, and being hopeful high school would be different. When you picked me up and we got home, you both began to cry, realizing I am now my own person, you guys had to let go even more and trust that God will continue to guide me.
It now being my first day of high school, I grabbed breakfast and jumped on the bus. As I arrived on campus I saw my friends and began to converse before heading to class. Trying to soak in the last of my public school years, the more I began to see our broken world. Looking to the left and to the right, seeing the way some of these guys were treating girls, and the way guys and girls were calling people of the same gender names, broke my heart. Not knowing what to do, I went to God and asked Him to show these people that what they were doing was wrong. Those four years flew by quicker then ever, and in a blink of an eye is was time to graduate. Dressed in my cap and gown, I remember walking across the stage with my graduating class cheering me on, and seeing both you and dad smiling in the crowd, made me simile. Receiving that diploma at the end of the stage and walking off, made me realize this was the end of a very large chapter of my life.
At times I know I must have been a handful, and you wanted me to just listen the first time things were said. But imagine if I did that. What memories would not have existed and what laughs wouldn't have been shared? I know at times you wanted to just throw in the towel and just let me be, but I'm thankful that you didn't. You both stuck through it, and stayed strong through the fights that occurred and the doors that were slammed. You both have taught me to never give up and always trust in God. I feel like now, if I was never brought up in that way, I wouldn't be who I am today. Although I don't always say it, I am thankful for parents like you.
Love you,
Your Child
