Dear mom and dad,

I am not an easy child, I am not an easy person, and yet you love me like I am. You spent your time during my youth balancing out carefully worded scolds with relentless kisses and hugs, showing me what true love looked like. Your unconditional love was always more than I deserved from when I would come home defeated from a long day to driving me to practice each day at 6:30 a.m. As each person carries their own flaws, you have taught me to embrace mine. Whether it was my adolescent ability to develop a quick temper or my lazy desire to spend the entirety of my Saturdays in bed, you've allowed me to choose my own path with nothing but open arms and support right behind me.

In the quiet hours of my life, where it seems like I’m slipping through the hands of Netflix marathons, teen angst and crammed study sessions, you catch me with words of peace and souls of resilience; I am nothing less than grateful. In the loud hours, you’ve come prepared for my birthday antics, painfully loud sleepovers, violent cries and baking experiments with patient hearts; I am incredibly blessed. Even though sometimes our fights stretch out for days due to my stubbornness, you’ve never pushed me away. Your unconditional warmth and affection again and again teaches me how I should be on this earth.

Winter seasons spent stirring my hot chocolate and making sure I was warm enough when it was 45 degrees outside were my favorite because you were next to me. Spring seasons spent taking the whole family to the park and picking me up from track practice were my favorite because I got to see you at the end of every day. Summer seasons spent with trips back and forth to the neighborhood pool and hours baking homemade pizza were my favorite because of your charismatic laughter. Autumn seasons spent decorating the house and blowing out my brothers’ birthday candles were my favorite because of your contagious joy.

To my dad with a tireless and forgiving soul: from day one I was placed into ballet classes, chess club, swimming/karate/piano lessons and you didn’t show disappointment when I decided that four out of those five things weren’t right for me. Instead, you listened to me practice hours on end with nervous fingers for my piano recitals and lovingly critiqued me on each wrong note. You drive me to cross country and track meets at 5 in the morning, you drive me to this store and that boutique to find the perfect dress, and you drive me to be a better person. Car-ride talks that seem to cover anything and everything show me that I have a dad of strength and integrity. Early morning breakfasts and late-night dinners with you show me that I have a dad of adventure.

To my mom with a compassionate and captivating heart: you spent much of my youth making sure that I was happy even when you weren’t. Hell, you forced a smile on your face when I spontaneously cut my hair and ended up having to use hair gel to look semi decent in public for what seemed like years. During my first fall break from college, you told me that you missed me asking you “What’s for dinner?” every night, and that’s when I realized that you’d be there for me no matter how annoying I was. You make my favorite meal for me when I least expect it, you make me power through tough weeks away from you with calming phone calls, and you make me aspire to be like you when I’m older. FaceTime calls and Facebook scrolling hours show me that I have a mom of genuine spirit and merciful affection. Through our common coffee addiction and love for nature hikes, I’m grateful for a best friend like you.

Thank you for almost 19 years of bear hugs, home cooked meals, folded laundry, beach vacations, laughter, ear-splitting smiles and bolded Love. Thank you for loving me at my worst and at my best, thank you for leaving your beloved home to move to Austin for mine and my brothers’ sake. If I could be with you right now instead of studying for this biology exam, I would. I love you more than I can show, but maybe this letter will be my first step.

Love,

Trinh