This is a thank you letter directed to characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender. These shows have literally changed my life and I just cannot imagine what my life would be without them. That's crazy to think about. Not being able to imagine your life without a TV show? That's how impactful the Avatar series has been on me. Though there is no true way to express my gratitude to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, I think that this is one of the best ways to do so.

Thank you Aang. You showed me that the solution to any problem is patience and understanding. You taught me the importance of educating myself about both myself and the world around me because that is the only way you can understand it. You were wise beyond your years (disregarding the 100 years you were in the iceberg) and you passed that wisdom on to me. You showed me that violence is not the answer and that there will always be some other solution. Despite everything that had happened to you, you still managed to persevere. You showed me that no matter what happens to me, that I can persevere through it. You showed me that you don't have to do things alone even if you think that you should. You showed me that as long as I have good friends by my side, I will get through whatever life throws at me. You taught me the meaning of forgiveness because there is no point of holding onto your anger. Keeping it locked up inside only hurts you, so you have to let it free. You showed me that even though the world may not be kind, I can still be kind to the world because there is no point in throwing more hatred into the world. You showed me that I have the power to make the world kind; I can't just wait around for the world to show me it.

Thank you Katara. You showed me that when someone is gone, it doesn't make them gone from your memory or even your life. They still have an impact on your life, and you don't have to hide that or the fact that you're still hurting. You showed me that loss isn't something that you get over after a few months, it's something that will always be a part of you, but it doesn't have to define your entire life.It doesn't stop life from going on, but sometimes it'll stop you from going on. It'll freeze you in moments of despair, but you showed me that you can and always will get out of those moments. When you stood up for yourself when Master Pakku refused to teach you water bending, you showed me that I can stand up for myself. When you fought him, despite knowing your skills were no match for him, you showed me that I can fight for myself even when the odds are against me. You taught me to fight, and now I am a fighter. I watched you be strong and now I am strong because of it. When you showed the man that killed your mother mercy, it really struck a chord with me. You showed me that revenge is not the answer no matter how angry you are because revenge doesn't get rid of the anger. it just makes the anger stronger. You taught me that forgiveness is not automatic and sometimes it is impossible to forgive, but that does not mean that you are incapable of being nice to someone.

Thank you Sokka. I don't know how the series would've been able to move along without your comic relief. Seriously, though, I loved it. You were your goofy self throughout the show, you taught me how to just be myself. You showed me that there is brightness even in the darkest of times, that just because horrible things are going on it doesn't mean that I have to be sad and mope around. Watching you internally struggle over being the only nonbender in the group, you showed me that it's not easy to think that you're less than other people just because you don't have something they have. You taught me to love myself anyways because I can be just as great as someone else even without the advantages that they have. I don't need a special ability because when I'm myself, I am special and I am powerful. I'm powerful enough to do whatever I set my mind to as long as I remember that I am.

Thank you Toph. You showed me that a disability doesn't have to be debilitating, rather it can even be advantageous. You showed me that strength comes from knowing that you are strong, not from having an ability. You taught me that what others think of me doesn't matter or affect my ability to do anything, only I have power over that. You taught me that the only limitations are mental, not physical. When you had troubles while raising your kids, you showed me that even someone that has great control over their life can have difficulty having control over their children. Basically, you showed me that even people who seem perfect are not perfect and we all make mistakes. You showed me that owning up to these mistakes isn't easy, but it can and should be done. I can do it. I can do anything.

Thank you Zuko. Thank you for showing me that no matter how far I go down a dark path and how trapped I may feel in it, I can always find the light. You showed me that it's okay to struggle. You showed me that you may not always know the solution, but you will find it out yourself. You taught me that I can stand up for myself and that I should even if it means turning my back on people. You taught me that anyone can change, literally anyone. You taught me that everyone deserves a second chance, even those we don't think deserve one. You taught me the true meaning of forgiveness because I never thought I would forgive you for the things you did to Team Avatar. But I did, and it just wouldn't be Team Avatar without you.

Thank you Iroh. Your wisdom will follow me for the rest of my life. You taught me to think, listen, and be patience. You have made me question myself and why I am me. You've given me hope. Whenever I feel sad, I have your quotes to remind me that I am strong. You are honest. You told me that I may sometimes be in a dark place in my life, but no matter how stuck I feel, I am not. I can get out of it because I am strong. I am mighty. I am wise. I have to accept that it is happening, but I don't have to accept it as a part of me. I have to let it ride out its course, but I don't have to do that alone. I can reach out because I will always have someone to reach out to. No matter what, I always have hope. As long as I have hope, I will be okay.

Thank you, Suki. As you showed Sokka that women can be just as powerful as men, you showed me that as well. You showed me that I don't have to give into a stereotype, even when expected to. Rather, I can be the exact opposite of a stereotype. I am the opposite of the stereotype because the stereotype is the opposite of myself. Only I can define myself and I can define myself however I want.

Thank you Azula. You made me question literally everything. I thought you were a bad person at first but by the end of the series you made me realize you were not bad at all but a victim. You showed me that not everyone that is bad is truly bad, it may just be all they know. You were mentally ill, and you showed me that that's not beautiful. It's not some romanticized thing on the internet, it is real and it is a real problem that we need to do something about. You showed me how the world can break someone, so now I have to be careful. You taught me that breaking isn't my fault, but rather trying to be strong for too long. You made me feel pity for you, and you made me look at people differently. You made me look at the world differently: my world is different because of you.

Thank you Appa and Momo. You weren't just his pets, you were his best friends. You meant so much to him, as my pets meant to me. You gave Aang companionship and showed the strength of the bond between humans and animals. You showed the importance of this bond, this very important bond.

Thank you Fire Nation. You showed me that sometimes we think we are right, even if we aren't morally right. You showed me that sometimes good doesn't win and evil sometimes triumphs, but in the end, good will triumph over the bad. Despite that, bad may still triumph in individual people. You taught me that not everyone who does badly is bad because they believe that they are truly justified in their actions. Some are taught from a young age that certain things that are typically seen as morally wrong are okay, so they grow up believing that it is okay. A person may do bad things but they may not be a bad person or even think that they are doing anything bad. We all believe that we are justified in our actions so how do we know that ours are truly right?

Thank you Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Even though the target audience for your audience was kids, you did not treat us like kids. You did not sugar coat anything and you still found a way to present this information to us in a way that we could understand. You made this relatable to anyone who watched which is what made it so special. Thank you for being a part of my life. You are still a part of my life 8 years after Avatar: The Last Airbender ended and you will be a part of it for many years yet to come.