Dear Mom and Dad,

There are so many things I could say to express my gratitude. I could probably write pages upon pages of why I am so grateful for everything you’ve done, but I will try and keep it short and sweet.

Thank you.

Thank you for being my parent first, and my friends second. You disciplined me in a way that in the end made me a person with good character and poise. I know to always tip waiters 20%, to not swear like a sailor in inappropriate settings, and to treat people how I would like to be treated.

Thank you for knowing when to let go of my hand. You made me do things on my own since I was very young, and it really paid off. Once the time came for me to move away from home and go to school, none of us were worried. We both knew I could handle the independence and responsibility. Granted, I had my moments in which I didn’t know what to do, and for that:

Thank you for helping me up when I fell down. From something as simple and not budgeting well for groceries or the extreme when I’m having a very scary panic attack, you were there and held my hand and lifted me back up when I couldn’t find a way to get back up without a hand.

And above all else, thank you for supporting the pursuit for my dreams. Many parents in the world believe a career in performing arts is not stable enough to be a viable option for their children. From when I was a little girl, you supported my want to be a performer. You put me into voice lessons, and were at every play, musical, choir concert, and everything in between. You even came to the events where all I had to do was sing the national anthem, either as a solo or in a choir.

I could write pages upon pages on why I am so grateful for everything, but even a thousand pages of thank yous later wouldn’t be enough to express the gratitude and love I have.

Thank you for being the best parents a girl could ask for.