Dear Mom,
First of all, thank you. Thank you for everything that you have done and continue to do for me. I certainly would not be the same person I am today without you by my side. It’s crazy to say, but in about 3 months, I will be on the way to start my freshman year of college. I’m beyond excited, but sadly it means I will have to move hours away from home. But as I start this new chapter of my life I promise to never forget the lessons that you have taught me. You’ve put in countless hours of building me up, and that is just something I am very thankful for.
We have become so much closer throughout the years, which is weird because if someone were to have asked me a couple of years ago if I see my mom becoming my best friend, I probably would have laughed in their face and said that there was no way. But, looking back we have gone through everything together. Every time I was feeling alone or down I never realized it, but you were the only one there for me and would tell me what I needed to hear, it what I wanted to hear.
About 4 years ago now, we both lost someone who meant so much to us. You lost your husband, and I lost my (step) dad. He has been around us for about 6 years before that so the relationships we had with him, I believe are what brought us together, and I could not be more thankful for that. I would be crazy to say that it did not change us, because it did. We became mentally stronger than I thought was even possible. Although at the time, being strong was not even a possibility for either of us, it seemed like. But, even through the hard times you never lost sight of keeping my sister and me on the right track. So for that I want to say thank you.
As I walk across that stage in a couple of days, I will remember all the good times in high school, especially our good times. Thank you for being a constant reminder that I can achieve anything I put my mind to. Also, thank you for playing both parenting roles the past 17, almost 18, years. I am beyond thankful that I was raised by a mom that had the amount of drive and love of both parents.
With love,
Alicia
