When I was a little kid, I never really understood how much my parents sacrificed by coming to America. As I grew into a young adult, I started to put the pieces together and came to realize what it all meant. For starters, it meant they would be leaving a life behind. It meant they would never feel completely at home. But most importantly, it meant they were thinking of me. They were planning for the future and the family they hoped to have. They were thinking of the life they wanted for their children. When you realize what your parents did, how much they overcame and how much they achieved, you're filled with the deepest sense of gratitude. I haven't been able to express that gratitude in the right set of words and I don't think I ever will. But this is a good start, and this is what I want them to know.

5. I'm sorry if I ever seemed ashamed of you.

I always felt different when I was little and I knew you guys were different too. I realized that my upbringing and life at home wasn't the same as all my classmates. I knew I ate differently, looked differently, and couldn't do some of the things they did. When you're a child in middle school, all you want to do is fit in. But I felt like an abnormality. I knew that other kids looked at me differently and I let it define me. But I also let it define you. It took years of growth for me to realize that my ethnicity is what makes me, me. The color of my skin, the food that I eat, the language that you speak, are all a part of who I am. I'm sorry that I used to reject that part of myself, and in the process, made it look like I was rejecting you.

4. I'm so incredibly proud of you.

When you came to America, you left a life behind. Your family, friends, culture, country, and even identity would be bet on a life in America. You started from scratch, in a land with a different language and culture. You had to climb your way, and sometimes fight your way, to success. My parents came from the Philippines and started with very little. They ended up raising their family in a beautiful suburban town on Long Island, New York. They work lucrative and respected jobs and taught me to earn everything I have. I'm proud to say that.

3. I can try as much as I want, but no combination of words will ever express how grateful I am.

I've tried writing it in birthday cards, Mother's Day and Father's Day cards, and in music and song. But I'll never be able to thank you enough. I've realized that I can only take what you've given me and do something great with it.

2. All I've ever wanted to do is make you proud.

I will make your sacrifices worth it. And I'll continue to push myself and prove myself. I know that I make you proud already, but I want to live the life you envisioned for me.

1. I love you.

A lot of parents describe their children as their "pride and joy". Remember that you are my pride and my joy, too.