Dear Mom and Dad,

Can you believe I’ve made it this far? I can’t; time went by so fast. I’m already in the second month of my last year at college and I’ll soon be looking for a job and my own place and trying to “adult”. It feels like just yesterday you were braiding my hair, mom (well, it actually was yesterday, but let’s forget about that), and you, dad, were dancing around the room with me standing on your feet. But now I’m grown up and independent and I wish I could still be that little girl dancing with her hero.

Although I only have one of you here with me, I wanted to address this letter to the both of you because regardless of being here or not, you’ve both shaped and continue to shape me. I wanted to thank you for what you’ve each taught me separately and for what you’ve taught me together as a team.

Mom, thank you for teaching me how to be a nut job. Thank you for teaching and encouraging me to march to the beat of my own drum. I used to be terrified of sticking out, of not being cool or popular. Now, I don’t give a damn about fitting in. I love being quirky and weird and insane –all the traits I’ve inherited from you—and I’m not afraid of letting people see it.

I used to be petrified of standing up for myself. But, thanks to you, I now have a backbone. You’ve taught me how to not allow people (like evil roommates from the past) walk all over me and abuse my friendship. I’ve felt pride in myself because of you and I’ve never felt it before.

I want to thank you for my obsession with books, movies, TV shows, and shopping, even though we’ve become shopaholics. I remember you reading scary things to me as a child – which is probably why I’m so screwed up — and me loving every word. The first movie I remember seeing in theaters isn’t some kids movie like Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (even though I love that movie) but instead The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. You warned me the Orcs and Urikai and Ring Wraiths might scare me; I left the theater with the biggest smile on my face, pretending to be Legolas kicking ass. From that day on I was hooked and, because you were the one who would randomly pick me up from school saying I had a “doctors appointment” that was actually a trip to the movies, I blame you for my healthy-but-totally-not-healthy addiction.

I could continue to thank you all day but I’ll leave you with this: thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to be strong in every aspect of life. And thank you for teaching me that strength doesn’t always mean keeping a composed face; instead, I now know that my strength comes from the moments of pain, from the moments of crying about and accepting the hard truths. You are my strength.

Daddy, I hope you know how much I love and miss you everyday. There is so much I want to say to you but I have no clue where to start…or how to express it. But, I’ll save that for another time.

Thank you, Dad, for showing me how to find joy in the world. You taught me how to enjoy the little things and see the positivity and tranquility of my surroundings. No matter where we were you always lead me to free my mind and let go of the insignificant problems I was holding onto. Dad, you lit my passion for the natural world; you opened my eyes to the peace and clarity nature has to offer, whether from gardening to hiking to lying on the dock at the lake to gaze at the brilliance of the moon and stars.

Dad, you always saw the best in people and you always forgave them for their flaws. I’d like to think I do as well. You never put yourself before others, wanting everyone to be happy – that’s the only way you could be happy. In this, I know I’m exactly the same. You taught me how to be generous, kind, and patient towards others. You’re warm and enormous heart has caused mine to triple in size, and has led me to spread love wherever I can. Dad, you taught me to love fiercely, freely, and unconditionally which is something some people can never do.

I thank you for the life you have given me, Daddy. You made sure mom and I would be safe and comfortable even when you were dying. You never once stopped to think about yourself – until the moment you died you looked at and treated your family, at me, like the sun rose and set just for us. I hope I can give that same love to my future family.

Now, Mom and Dad, I want to thank you both for one of the most important qualities an individual should possess: respect. I see so many kids, teens, and adults who lack respect for others. I pride myself in the fact that I treat everyone around me with respect. Because of you, my wonderful parents, I have the power to brighten someone’s day and bring a smile to their face by simple saying “thank you”, “have a nice day”, or holding a door open for the person behind me. Knowing I’ve made someone else’s day better makes me feel better too.

Because of you two I have learned to have fun in everything I do. I learned how to be a loving and grateful young woman. But, most importantly, you’ve taught me that true love exists. I hope I can find someone who will look at me the way you looked at each other.

I love you both more than the sun loves the moon. And I will for eternity.

I’m beyond proud to call you my parents.

I can only hope I make you both just as proud.

Now. Always. Forever.

Your daughter,

Julie