Dearest Mom and Dad,
Even though you're only a few feet away from me and I could probably say this to you in person instead of in writing, I feel that I need to put it down. It's also probably the cheesiest thing I will ever write. And you might either laugh or cry, and I more than likely would not be able to keep a straight face while reading this to you. Besides, I express myself so much better in writing anyway.
So here it goes.
First of all, I just hope you both know that I will never stop thanking you for all that you do for me. I will never stop thanking you for your immense support and unconditional love. You have never turned your back on me, and you love me through all of my successes as well as the failures. You've celebrated me at my best, and comforted me during my worst times. You rejoice in my accomplishments and encourage me through my shortcomings. You recognize when I'm fucking up, and don't let me get away with it. You inspire me to always put my best foot forward, and if it weren't for your careful guidance and hard work I probably wouldn't be where I am today. Words will never be enough to describe all of the love I have for you both, and I will never stop thanking you for all of the learning opportunities you have facilitated for me in the past couple of decades.
Secondly, thank you for all of the tools you have given me to navigate through this bizarre thing called life. You have taught me that it's okay to make mistakes, as long as I recognize them and use them as a learning lesson. Even though I struggle with this on a daily basis, you've also taught me that things don't always go according to plan, and that eventually things have a way of figuring themselves out (and that I don't always have to have control of everything). You have taught me to be resilient, especially during some of the most difficult times. You have also taught me to love and appreciate my family deeply, since we have had our share of very difficult times, and the thing that has always kept us afloat is our unity and togetherness. Through these hard times you have also taught me to be tenacious and relentless; I will never stop working toward fulfilling my dreams because you did not raise a quitter.
Incidentally, I also need to thank you for allowing me to chase after my dreams. Thank you for always supporting my ambitions of going to college, and for always listening to me ramble on about what I've learned in class recently or what I'm passionate about. Thank you for always keeping books around the house, for playing all types of music really loudly during the weekends, and for always making sure our bellies are full and our backs are clothed (I say "our" because you have also ensured that I have a lifetime guarantee of three friends AKA my siblings). Thank you for all of the beautiful Christmases and the fun summers, for your humbling wisdom and contagious fun. Thank you for enabling me to be the best person that I can be, and for always motivating me to reach for the stars. My love and gratitude for you is as deep as all of the world's oceans and as vast as the cosmos.
Always,
Your daughter
