To my parents,
Since I was a little girl, I saw my dad wake up early in the morning, shower, get ready, leave to work and come back tired and exhausted just to do it all over again the next day. I also saw my mom wake up early to get me dressed for school, feed me breakfast, drop me off at school, go to work and pick me up from school, feed me dinner and go to bed drained after spending a long day taking care of me and household responsibilities.
I don’t think I will ever be able to express how blessed and thankful I am for everything that my parents have done for me and continue to do for me. As I get ready to accomplish one of my biggest goals to study abroad at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, I realize that I could not have been where I am today without the continuous selfless love and support of my parents.
I never had to grow up wondering if my parents would support my dreams or if they would help me in times of need. I never wondered if my parents would support my aspiration of going to law school or if they would trust me enough to go to college two states away from them. Instead, I saw them both work day and night to be able to support my ambitions. They sent me to college leaving me with one advice, “We will continue to support your dreams and goals and work hard for you if, in return, you study hard and put in equal effort to make your dreams happen, because seeing your dreams come true will make us happy and make everything we work for worthy”. Because of that, I know I will never have to go a day without knowing that I have two of my biggest supporters right behind me.
To my mama, I thank you for all the nights you stayed up with me while I studied just so I didn’t have to feel alone doing it. Thank you for the shopping trips and movie dates when I was feeling down. Thank you for being my best friend through high school and college, and even middle school when I was going through my “I hate parents" stage. Thank you for dealing with my dramatic emotional breakdowns, which, let's face it, were never for a good true reason- I just was being a teenager. Most of all, thank you for being a true example of what hardworking women should be.
To my papa, I thank you for teaching me determination and grind. I thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for us. I thank you for always putting our needs ahead of yours. I thank you for fully supporting my determinations and making every birthday wish I had since I was five years old come true.
Just as any other college student, I’m in a transitional period of my life. I’m growing up, making mistakes, learning to be independent and growing into the kind and beautiful woman my mom has set an example of to be. Through it all, I have learned one important thing- I am so incredibly blessed and lucky to have such amazing parents. I thank you both for making my dreams yours and always continuing to support me. As I start my study abroad journey at Oxford University, I thank my parents for all they have done for me and all that they will continue to do.
