He was the second man I have ever loved after my grandpa; he was the hope that led me to believe that there are good men in the world, he was my teacher, he was my hero, and was and is my father. He may not be blood, but he is my father. It is so ironic how much we are alike: you are the version of me that has been glazed with wisdom and touched by time. It is a shame and pains me that I did not appreciate him when I was growing up, yet he still loved me and was always there for me no matter what. When someone marries another person that has a kid, they're under no real obligation to raise the child as their own, but it is common for them to do so. Unfortunately, I have known some people that were abandoned by their parent because the step-parent wanted a child that was blood.

I knew your life had been troubled and cruel, yet I did not care. There are truly no words to ever take back my so-called "hatred" towards you, and there are no words to amount the regret I have for taking you for granted. Luckily in high school, I started to notice all of the things you have done for me that you did not need to do. I have the highest respect for you now and have grown to have different type of relationship compared to my siblings. I never knew if it was because I am so stubborn and the most difficult, or that I am a mirrored image of you. I remember in high school I was doing a presentation for my community project; my topic was PTSD in veterans. The day I presented was the day I heard how the place you were was bombed and I'm pretty sure you were knocked unconscious or something but that moment when I began reciting our interview from my PowerPoint, tears came streaming down my cheeks and my breath became heavy. This was the moment I realized how much I messed up. the thoughts overcame my brain of thinking you would move into the afterlife thinking I did not care, it scared me.

The man I took for granted was my dad, my step-dad. I do not introduce him as my step-dad because he has done everything a dad is supposed to do, including loving me. No matter how many mistakes I have made or wrong paths I have taken, he has been there in every way possible. I am beyond sorry about how I never 'I love you' or 'thank you'. My dad is a good man: honorable, honest, and trustworthy. I want to say thank you and that I love you.

I encourage you to remind your loved ones how much they are appreciated: do not let them be under the impression that they are not cared for. One day, they may be gone.