Dear Mom,
There's a whole lot of things I've never said thank you for that I realized I'm grateful for now that I'm an "adult." I figured instead of bombarding you with a million thank yous in person when I come home, I would just thank you here.
Thank you for teaching me to never rely on a man for things I can provide for myself. I never quite understood why you were so adamant that I didn't need to focus on dating and boys when I was younger (heck, you say that to me even now), but now I get it. You wanted to make sure I knew who I was as a person and how to take care of myself the way I deserve to be taken care of without having a male creeping in and changing my needs.
You've taught me to be kind but never so kind that I allow others to walk all over me. You taught me to stand up for what I believe in, even if it might make my life harder. You taught me compassion toward others but only to the point that they deserve it. I think that's the greatest lesson you could have given me. Not everyone in this world deserves my kindness, but until they prove they don't, be kind. Some people would say I'm a bitch because of that behavior, but if being a bitch is doing what is best for me, then I would gladly hold the title.
Thank you so much for teaching me the proper work ethic, although sometimes I hate you for it because I get angry when others don't have my intense work ethic. We're very alike in that way. Giving me work ethic has made me go far in the small amount of job experience I have. Your lessons ultimately are what gave me a promotion. You've always been able to set me up for success, even if it was 15 years before the event.
My final thank you is for giving me my love for reading. You read to me every night as a kid so I would fall in love with words. You then patiently taught me how to read even though I screamed I would never learn because I was frustrated. Finally, I learned and wouldn't stop reading. You bought me books and took me on countless library trips. You never told me a book would be too hard for me to read, you never told me not to expand my mind. You taught me it was okay to escape into a book when life got scary or hard. The short repose could be enough to make my troubles go away. The love of reading you gave me is what made me chose to be an English major and find the path I was meant for.
So thank you, Mommy, for all that you've done for me and all that you've taught me. I've just now realized that all of these lessons would help me become the woman I am today. I hope that I can teach the same lessons to my children.
Love You,
Katie
