Dear Dad,

While you may not be my go-to for trips to the mall or for some serious girl talk, you’ve taught me so much and I don’t know what I would do without you. I don’t say thank you enough and that’s wrong, so I’m going to say it now. You have been with me since the very beginning and so much of who I am today is because of how you raised me.

Thank you for teaching me to have good values and morals. Thank you for teaching me to treat everyone with kindness. It’s not too hard to just ask someone how they are doing that day, but it can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Thank you for teaching me that if we work hard, we will be rewarded. I was constantly reminded of how hard you and mom worked to give me and my siblings the life we have. You never handed anything to us. Instead, you taught us that if we put in the work, we will be rewarded.

Thank you for your endless patience while coaching all of my sports teams. You were my coach for soccer and basketball from kindergarten all the way to eighth grade and I don’t think that I ever realized how much of a commitment for you that was. You weren’t being paid to do it, you just wanted to be a part of my and my siblings' lives in this way. I always thought that it was the coolest thing that my dad was the coach and I don’t know if I ever told you that. You taught my teammates and me what was really important about sports. It wasn’t about winning or losing, but going out there, trying our hardest, and having fun. I’ve carried that theory with me for the 19 years that I’ve been on this Earth, so thank you.

When I reached high school and you stopped being my coach, that didn't mean that you stopped being a part of my sports career. If I looked into the stands, I knew that I would find you there, even at games where you had to travel two hours to get there. The only reason that you ever missed a game was if you were out of the state or if you had an important meeting. This wasn't true just for me, but also for my siblings. You were always there for us and it was so nice to know that we always had that support system.

Whenever I got knocked down or felt upset, you were there to remind me that life isn't fair. Although I didn't like to hear that, I know that it's true and that it needed to be said. I think hearing those words over and over again helped to shape me into the person who I am today. As I get older, I've realized that I don't like to focus on the past. Instead, I want to focus on the present. I can't change what happened to me and although it might not be fair, that's just the way that life works. So, thank you for reminding me of this constantly. It has helped me to be a happier person because I chose not to focus on the things that hurt me in the past, but to focus on how lucky I am in the present.

Thank you for teaching me to be cautious with my heart and to make sure that I've found a truly good guy before I give it away. I remember when you were dropping me off at school in the morning and you would look at my sister and I and say, “Remember, guys only want one thing. Be careful.” I was. I was careful with my heart because of all of the warnings that you gave me and it helped me to find one of those truly great guys who wasn’t just after that one thing. Thank you for making sure that the boy who I brought home knew that you wouldn’t let him mess with me. You’ve always protected me and stood by me and I am forever grateful to have a protector who cares as much as you do.

I don’t say it often enough, but thank you, Dad. You’ve done so much more than what is written in this letter, but I hope that this gives you a taste of how much I appreciate you at least. I wouldn’t want anyone else as a father. You have done such an amazing job and I know that won't stop anytime soon. I love you and I just want to thank you for being you.