To My Family,
Thank you. These are words that can be hard to say and even harder to mean, but I want you all to understand how thankful I am for each and every one of you in my life. Thank you for being my support system and my best friends throughout my life. Even though I grew up in a household with just my brother and my parents, I always felt like I was part of a massive family. Growing up with all of you around me, I had the best possible childhood, and it is only now, after being away at college, that I am truly able to appreciate how blessed I am to be a part of a big family.
Thank you for not letting me get cocky and always encouraging me to be better. Thank you for being the ones who cheer me up when I feel like I've failed. Thank you for teasing me and laughing with me; you have taught me to have a sense of humor, to never take myself to seriously and to always look for the things in life that make you smile. Thank you for your commitment to finding me a boyfriend who plays major league baseball; I know that if we put all our brains together, we can figure this one out. Thank you for teaching me what it means to love unconditionally, even when you are mad at someone. Because of you I will never settle for any relationship that isn’t based on love, respect, and trust.
Thank you for teaching me that it is OK if things aren't perfect, that we as people are not perfect but that family loves each other despite these imperfections. You have taught me that I can overcome just about anything with a little help and just about nothing on my own. I have learned that it is OK to ask for help. It's the people like you, who love us ,who make us shine, and it is with that love and support that we are able to do great things. Thank you for being those people who lift me up and make me feel like the best version of myself. Thank you for being the kind of family that I am proud to be a member of.
I have learned from you that it doesn't matter where we are or how nice our houses or our things are; the things that count can’t be bought with money. Thank you for being the people that count in my life. Whether we are shouting and laughing at each other over dinner or on a family trip, thank you for making my days brighter and inspiring me to be the best version of myself. We don't get to choose our families, and I am so blessed to be a part of this family that I would choose it if I could. Thank you for teaching me to speak my mind, to follow my heart, to be myself and to love others.
Sincerely,
Your Grateful Relative
