As I look at you now I can't help but feel happiness and sadness flow within me.
To the parents who sacrificed everything for me: Thank you.
I can remember being a child and often wondering why I couldn't be like the regular children, why their parents were always with them, why I was always being taken care of by someone else, and why I couldn't be at home with you and have fun with you.
As a child, the world was simple and carefree, but as I grew older, I understood.
Maybe I understood a bit too well for someone my age, but I understood well enough.
I understood the bills that had to be paid, I understood the economic struggles we went through and I understood the long hours you used to work.
Waking up at the crack of dawn never bothered me even though you'd apologize profusely. "I'm sorry you have to wake up so early," you'd say, "but I need you to help me with work."
I hope you know that waking up early never bothered me.
What bothered me was seeing you struggle and worry about whether you would have enough money to pay rent or buy food.
What bothered me was seeing you doubt your self-worth because you wished to be like other people who had vacations every summer and money to spare.
"It's my fault," you'd say, "I should've worked harder."
However, work never equals how much money or value family has. It's the moments and experiences you go through together.
I'm not sure if both of you know this, but it was the little things that I remember the most.
Yes, of course, going to Disney World when I was ten would've been a dream come true, but I know for a fact that us three playing Monopoly for hours and laughing wickedly as we bankrupted each other would beat the Mouse any day.
No matter how horrible our economic status was, you always made sure that I had everything I ever needed and more.
To the parents who sacrificed everything for me: Thank you.
Even now that I am an adult, you're still helping me in every way possible. You're giving me a proper education and the support to follow my dreams, and in full honesty, it's that support that's giving me the determination to do well in life.
Although my goals and ambitions are different from others, the ultimate goal for me is to help you just like you helped me.
I know times have been hard for all of us — we've gone through eviction, medical emergencies, emotional emergencies, but as difficult as it might have been, we've always managed to see the light.
I don't know about both of you, but I see nothing except brightness in our future.
To the parents who sacrificed everything for me: Thank you.
