There is a something that we kids tend to learn as we grow older, and sometimes it's hard to admit, but we learn just how much you have influenced our lives and the way that we look at the world.
Growing up we went through that phase of wanting to be president or an astronaut, and like any parent, you were so excited to push us toward that goal. The first time that we watched "Space Jam" and told you that we wanted to be a professional basketball player like Michael Jordan, you told us that we could be anything that we wanted as long as we work hard for it.
When we started high school everyone was pushing us to find some extracurricular activity to get involved in like sports, art, band, or choir. Whatever we decided you were there. You went to every game or performance or exhibit that you could and cheered us on. Thank you for doing that. Thank you for supporting us even though we might be doing something that you would not have chosen for yourself. Thank you for not pushing us to do something that we wouldn't have wanted to do. We really appreciate it.
Toward the end of high school, we started being questioned about where we wanted to go to college and what we wanted to do with our lives. Except when we were asked what we wanted to do this time around, our answers kind of changed. Yes, some of us still wanted to be the president or a doctor, but now there were options like being a teacher or a writer or a counselor. Some of us wanted to go to college close to home, some far away, and some didn't want to go to college at all. You taught us that we could to anything if we worked for it since we were just little kids, and that really stuck. When we told you where we wanted to go to school or what we wanted to do, you supported us. Even if the paths we chose didn't make a lot of money or would be very difficult to accomplish, you wanted us to do what we wanted to do. Of course, you asked questions like any parent would about whether we thought through it and what made us want to do that, but you never told us no. You never said that we couldn't do something, and for that thank you. We knew that some kids did not have that luxury. Some kids were told that if they didn't go to a certain university or pick a certain major, then the parents wouldn't help them. Thank you for not doing that.
In college, some of us change our mind or realize that the path we thought we wanted just wasn't for us. And once again, you were there to say it's okay. You were probably frustrated with us, but you never said no. College is mentally a difficult time for everyone, and without your support it would almost seem impossible. Thank you for always wanting us to do what makes us happy.
You taught us that this is our life and we get to make the decisions that form our future. We might not have picked the school you would have chosen or the career you would have pursued, but thank you for supporting us through it all. Sometimes we will fail and sometimes we will succeed, but our constant is your support. Thank you for never saying no. Thank you for letting us be our own person and letting us make our own mistakes because of this we are so grateful. Thank you for always teaching us that we could do anything that we set our mind too. Thank you for always being there.
