Growing up, I became accustomed to the fact that my parents seemed to have far more and far stricter rules than most parents. Of course, all I could do was complain.

Why did I have to go to bed at 8:00 when my friends stayed up until 9:00? Why didn’t I get to have a phone that sent text messages when all of my friends had one? Why did I have to get a job and pay for my own gas money when most of my friends didn’t have to?

It was always why, why, why. Why did I have all these rules, and why did I have to follow them? I simply thought it was unfair.

My parents were always and still are, in my business 24/7. "Who are you hanging out with?" "Do I know them?" "What are you doing?" "Where are you going?" "Did you pay for that?" "Have you finished what I asked you to do?" That is just a small list of questions that I was drilled with.

I couldn’t leave the house without proving that my room was clean, I had my homework done, and had taken care of my other responsibilities. It became routine to me, if I were to want to do something fun, I had to make it through the list.

I found it extremely hard to understand why my parents were as strict as they were because the rest of my friends' parents didn't seem to have the same agenda.

When I went away to college, my parents loosed their grip; there were no more rules, no more questions. I finally felt free, as if I could do whatever I wanted and there would be no consequence.. or so I thought.

My parents still seemed to call and make sure I was being careful, that I was minding my money, that I had applied for this job, and that I made a call to that person.

Once again, I found myself back in high school, and this was, once again, just as frustrating. I simply just wanted to have fun and do my own thing without my parents in the background nagging me.

It wasn't until I decided to take a leap and take a semester off, that I began to realize why my parents were so strict all that time: it was that they simply cared. All the questions, all the rules, all the pressure, was because they only wanted me to succeed, they wanted me to be able to stand on my own.

So here I am, standing on my own, and the only thing I have left to say is, "Thank you." Thank you for teaching me how to take care of myself, thank you for giving me the discipline to be an adult, and thank you for helping me make the right decisions.

Mom and dad, although I am on my own now, I will forever need your help and guidance to continually shape who I am, and I will forever be thankful to have you as my parents.