Hey Dad,

There's a few things I want you to know.

All of my life I have equally feared you and loved you. You have sent terrified chills down my spine with just one look when I’m in trouble, yet shown me the sincerest compassion when I’m in need. Your stern, steady voice haunts the back of my mind before every stupid decision I make, and your soft, careful advice flutters in my ears before my wiser choices. You’ve worked diligently with your hands and your head your whole life to provide for us so that we’d never have to go without, but you made sure we knew the value of a hard earned dollar and took pride in the things we accomplished. By choice you don’t have very many close friends, but the people you do choose to keep around are treated with the utmost respect and loyalty. It’s very clear that they admire you too and feel blessed have such a great man to call their friend. The love you show for Mom is so genuine and deep and she is so proud to be your wife. I pray that I will one day be lucky enough to have a marriage as fun and loving as the one I grew up watching.

I love our deep conversations about the most random topics and how you’ve always stimulated my mind with difficult concepts and questions. You’ve gifted me with the ability to think for myself and form my own opinions, but also with the curiosity and tolerance to remain open minded and fully uncover every side to every story. You taught me how to keep my cool and quickly nipped my disrespectful preteen sass right in the bud before rudeness became a habit. You’ve shown me how to be a selfless giver but to also fight for what I believe in and not be taken advantage of. The most important lesson you and Mom taught me was to live my life in a way that at the end of the day I can look myself in the mirror and be proud.

I know when I’m home you’re subjected to my ditsy and immature side, but thankfully for me you can be playful and goofy right along with me (my friends love when you use the Snapchat filters with me). Every time before I head back to school you literally give me your last dollar, and you’d give me the shirt of your back if I needed it. Even though I don’t call you once a day just to chat like I do with Mom, I hope you know that I love and appreciate you so incredibly much, and that you’ve had the greatest impact on my life.

As I've grown up I've watched everything you've done and tried to be at least half the person you are. I’m not sure where I’d be if I didn’t have you in my life, and I have no interest in finding out. You’ve helped shape me into the person I am today and are the best role model. Thanks for being the world’s greatest dad, or “#1 Superguy” as you like to call yourself when you answer the phone.

I love you, Dad.