I am very fortunate to have a strong relationship with my biological father but blood does not automatically make a bond. We have been on quite the roller coaster of loving each other to hating each other to loving each other.

Growing up in my early childhood being the only girl of two boys I was a daddy's girl. I always wanted to be with my dad and doing what my dad was doing. Yes, of course, I loved my mama too but any chance I could spend with dad was the time of my life. Then I started to get older which was hard on his and I's relationship. I started wanting to wear makeup and hang out with boys which me being daddy's little girl was an absolute no from the start.

Entering high school I saw my dad and I's relationship become nonexistent. He was the last person I wanted to talk to or share anything with yet he supported me in all of my athletics no matter how big the argument was. We were constantly arguing over what I know now are stupid meaningless things such as: why I could not stay out all night, why I could not do what all my friends were doing, why I could not go where all my friends were going and so on. Realizing now every stupid fight that I got into was over him trying to protect his baby girl and him trying to look out for me makes me sick to my stomach.

The parties he saved me from, the boys he saved me from, and the long dangerous road I could've gone down that he saved me from I cannot thank him enough. High school was not easy and I made a lot of mistakes but guess who punished me and made me learn from each of those mistakes, my dad.

But after a year away from home, my freshman year of college, our relationship instantly went back to the way it should have been all through high school. My dad is my best friend (after being my dad, of course) and he always is willing to help me. I am thankful for you and I look forward to having you by my side through these next milestones of my life.

So I am sorry for being young and dumb and not realizing that you were loving me and protecting me from this cruel world. I am sorry I threw a wrench in our relationship but thank you. Thank you for teaching me to be a strong, hardworking, and independent woman. I have you to thank for where I am and where I will be going.

This one is for you dad.

Love,

Your Little Girl