As a young and naive children, I think most of us can agree we took our parents for granted. Not that we meant to, but it just happened. I wish I could go back to when I was younger and take note of each and every little thing my parents selflessly did for me.
I remember the time my dad took me on a horse ride down the side of a canal down the street. He was holding a rope that attached to my horse's bridle because my young and fragile 5-year-old body would never be strong enough to resist if my horse decided to make a run for it. Half way through the ride, the rope got tangled in the tail of my dad's horse, resulting in him having to jump off an untangle it. In order to fix the rope, I had to let go. This meant I was on my own for a few brief seconds. My dad let go of the rope. This is what going to college has felt like. My parents have let go of the rope.
I never realized how much I needed and relied and trusted the rope until now, as my parents had done for me. Without the rope, I wouldn't have known my way. My parents never pulled, but guided me in the right directions. They never forced perfection on me in any demanding way, but rather let me try my own directions, make my own mistakes, and learn from the wrong turns I made. My dad always gave me the best advice (that I still swear by to this day to always be right). But as I got older the rope got looser and looser as he began to have me think for myself. He let go of the rope and trusted me to hold my own and to be strong enough for him to not be scared. He did one of the hardest things I think a parent ever has to do. He had to trust he held the rope long enough that I would know what to do when he let go.
If I were to fall, my parents always picked me back up, brushed me off, and put me back on my feet. When I was young, I was a pretty adventurous girl. I loved to run around outside, especially on the side of slanted mountains surrounded by sharp rocks. Clearly my perception of danger was pretty clouded at this point. When I expectedly slipped, the entire outside of my left leg was gashed as tears swelled in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. My mom was the first one to be there for me, hold me tight, and clean up my wounds. She told me a little joke to make me smile and sent her "magical healing mom powers" to my leg as she kissed my abrasion. It instantly felt better and I went on with playing soon there after. But what I never realized is how hard that must of been for her. Seeing your child you try to protect with every inch of you, cry in agony and after helping and then proceed to go right back to doing what just hurt her. It may have taken a cut or two more to realize running on the side of mountains is not the best idea, but she knew that I needed to go through those hard moments to understand learn on my own. No matter how hard it is for her or many times I fall, over and over, she is always there to my rescue.
It is little moments like these that I reflect on as I live my life in a different state, trying to find my way in the almost adult world. In my opinion, I think my parents are the parents every kid dreams of having. They love me beyond end, but trust me to make my own decisions, make my own mistakes, and shape my own future. They encourage me in every way and are always there to catch me when I stumble. They mend my heart when it breaks and theirs ache for me when I am not having the best day. They never cease to tell me they love me and how proud of me they are daily. It may seem silly, but I consider my best friends. I know you have helped me in ways I will never fully understand. I am forever blessed and grateful for every inch you have done for me since the day I came into the world whether I have recognized it or not. I love you, mom and dad.
