I hope you know, as this graduation season approaches, that the sacrifice which I endured was all to show you.

Every late night, every tear, every moment of desperation was all to show you.

Whenever I crafted an essay, a project, a presentation, I did it with the thought of you in my mind.

The day is approaching when I get to walk across that stage and receive my Bachelor's. I will be thinking of you when I do it.

I don't regret any of my time being in college. It has been a learning experience, a crazy ride, one that I want to get onto again.

I hope you know that this journey was to show you. To show you that I can do it. Without you.

Without you, I have been my whole life. I want to show you that everything that I have endured has been without your help.

I want to show you that this person writing this is dedicating her diploma to the one who gave her life. But no, not you.

I dedicate my hard times, my tears, my sweat, to my mother. She is the one who is worthy of knowing and receiving what I have endured.

You only want me to succeed to make yourself look good. You want to say that it has been you who's been there. It's been the opposite.

You've been the number one person who has wanted to see me fail, yet succeed at the same time. How ironic is that?

Dad, I hope you know that the person who has made me who I am today has been her. My mother.

They say women are the weaker sex, but I've never seen someone as strong as she is. She has taught me sacrifice, perseverance, and hard work. And yes, all this is coming from a woman.

My diploma will only just be the beginning. I will walk across a stage two more times after that to reach for my hopes and dreams. And I will be doing it without you.

Dad, I hope you know that I owe it all to the one who gave me life. My mother.