A Thank You Letter To All The Great Parents

Sometimes, too many times, some of us take having great parents for granted.

While every family has its issues, challenges, disagreements, and conflicts, I’m thankful for the parents I have. I love my mom and dad. And even during the times when we’ve fought, laughed, cried, reconciled, bumped heads, and still managed to come together, I know they love me too. Rarely does a day go by that I forget to appreciate them.

Thank you for showing me the beauty of having a relationship with God and the importance of keeping Him first in my life. That foundation has continually kept me grounded and has remained a great source of love, power, and strength in my life.

Thank you for all the years you provided me with love, food, shelter, clothing, adventures, and memorable moments. You chose to be present during the times it was important to show up, and those are the moments I’ll never forget. Having an active mother and father has done more for me than you two may ever know.

Thank you for providing a safe space for me to be myself. Even during the times when you may not have fully understood who I was and who I was becoming. I know I don’t have to follow in your footsteps. And I know it’s okay for me to be a woman who pursues a nontraditional path.

Thank you for the times you took my cell phone away when I was a kid because I was falling behind in school. I was so upset with the both of you, but my grades got better, and I know I was never entitled to having a cell phone in the first place. Having a cell phone in high school was a privilege.

Thank you for the time you were patient with me when I got mad at you when you took me to the bank to open a checking account when I got my first babysitting gig. I wanted to spend all my money at the mall, and you wanted me to save it. You knew I’d need money for a car for my upcoming senior year of high school instead of designer clothes. I learned the importance of saving vs. spending and having my priorities in check.

Thank you for not letting me get those sexy heels I wanted when I was 13. You were right, they were too grown for me. You just wanted me to enjoy being a teenager. Becoming a woman would eventually happen. And I’m glad you didn’t let me dress older than my actual age during that time.

If you’re reading this right now, I hope you will continue appreciating your parents too.

If you have a parent or parents or anyone in your life who has been a parental figure to you, I hope you realize how blessed you are. And no matter what, I want you to remember them. Thank them for all that they have done for you and always remember the important things they’ve taught you. You might need those lessons if you decide to have your own child someday.

Learn from their mistakes. Forgive them if and when they have ever disappointed you. And decide to love them anyway. Know that it’s okay to still need them. Know it’s okay to still miss them if one of them or both of them are no longer here anymore. Honor them. Celebrate them. And be an incredible extension of them.

Don’t forget to appreciate them too.