Day 31 - Tell your parents you love them and appreciate them.

People usually say "actions speak louder than words" and although I can tell my parents I love them and appreciate them on a daily basis there's really no depth to the words. I wanted to go a little beyond my deed of the day, I have always expressed myself better through writing rather than speaking so I decided to write my parents a love letter letting them know how I feel and telling them things that I have never told them before. I have always been an extremely private person when it comes to my personal life but writing these letters made me feel remarkable because I knew how it would make them feel reading it and I really hope that when I am older, my children will do the same for me.

My parents have been divorced since I was one years old so I wrote them separate letters. I am sharing these letters with you in hope that it will hearten you enough to write letters to your parents as well thanking them and telling them how much you appreciate them. Life is short, time flies by and once you lose a parent, you realize just how fast time goes by. When we are younger we don't always appreciate our parents for all that they do for us. Don't wait until it is too late to appreciate your parents and let them know while they are still here.

Dear Momma,

I know I don’t tell you often enough those two meaningful words, “thank you”, or tell you how much I appreciate you. So I am writing you this love letter to tell you that you are such an important person in my life.

I know that whenever someone tells me I look identical to you, I usually roll my eyes and deny it; in turn you always say “she hates it when people tell her that”. But the truth is, everything I love about myself comes from you. My eyes, my ability to always smile and laugh at myself, my silliness and the way I always try to see the best in people and in everything. My need to want to make the world a better place and give back to people who aren’t fortunate to have what we have. My perseverance and ability to tell myself “it will all turn out right in the end”.  I know I got my strength from you, when I was little I thought you could do anything, you we’re like a superhero, my superhero. You have taught me to be brave, I remember you always telling me “if you fill your face with laughing, there will be no more room for crying”. You have taught me to love myself, to never settle and to always have compassion for others. No matter how many times I repeat a story, you never interrupt, always listen and allow me to make my own mistakes. It never ceases to amaze me how self-less you are and always have been.

I love you for so many reasons. I appreciate how you take care of me, even at 27, when I’m sick. How you let me cry on your shoulder, even when I’ve made really stupid mistakes you warned me about. And how you are one of the funniest people on this entire planet, I love how all of my friends have always fallen in love with you instantly, and how you draw people in.

You are not only my mother, but you are my best friend. I have always had many friends but when I lived up north the only person I spoke to at least 10 times a day was you, I could talk to you forever on the phone about nothing and love every minute of it. I can tell you anything knowing that you’ll always give me an honest opinion.  You have taught me so many valuable lessons about life that I will carry with me forever. You have given me guidance, even when I wouldn’t listen. You have loved me when I didn’t deserve it. You have believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

You have been my friend, my cheerleader, my counselor, my advocate, my protector, my cook, my maid, my nurse, my rock, my everything, but my favorite thing you have been is my mother. Thank you for giving me tools to be a happy, kind, and loving person and for setting an example of the type of mother I would like to be in the future.

I will never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me, all that you have sacrificed for me, all that you have said, all the wisdom you have shared, and all the love you have shown me. I realize that I don’t give you as much credit as you deserve. I can’t express in words what you give me without even knowing it. You’re an amazing mother and I don’t think I tell you enough. I hope that I make you proud and I hope I can always lift you up. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

I love you momma,

C

Dear Daddy,

A trait I received from you growing up was my stubbornness, we have always had pretty similar personalities and you have always told me that since I was little. I know I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate you and love you so I wanted to write you this love letter to tell you how grateful and blessed I am to have you as my father.

Looking back its crazy how time flies, I still remember being your little girl, and in your eyes I know I still am. I remember when we would go to parties, you would always ask me to dance with you and on the dance floor you would let me stand on your feet so I could feel like a “big girl” who knew how to dance. My favorite memory of all was one Easter, I remember waking up to huge powder bunny paw prints all over the house, even on Danny and I, the tracks of the Easter bunny led to our Easter egg baskets and a bicycle. Every Halloween when I would see a scary monster such as Jason and start crying you would hold my hand no matter how much I refused and walk me over to him so that he could take his mask off and show me he was fake.

Growing up I always looked up to you, you we’re my hero, my savior from all danger, my biggest protector, you wouldn’t let anything happen to me. As long as I was next to you, I knew I could go on the biggest rides and nothing would happen to me because I was with my daddy, and nothing could touch him. I could ride my bicycle without falling because my daddy was holding it and wouldn’t let me fall, and that one day when I turned around and saw that you had let go, my first initial thought was fear and then I saw that I was doing it, all by myself and you we’re screaming with joy, I had never felt happier. When I was little I loved you with all of my little heart, I laughed when you laughed and wanted to cry when you we’re upset, especially at me.


You we’re and still are my source of inspiration and role model. You have taught me to pursue my dreams no matter how hard things might seem; you have taught me that I deserve the very best and to never settle for anything less than the best. Although you spoiled me rotten you always tried to teach me that in the real world I wouldn’t always be able to get everything I want the way I want it. You taught me to be strong, how to get up after I fell, how to run as fast as I could, but most importantly you taught me how much God loves me by showing me how much you loved me. You would always tell me “friends come and go, but your real best friends are your mother and I”. Seeing you go to church every single Sunday morning was my inspiration, you never made me go, you would tell me you really wanted me there and so did God but you never pushed me, you let me make my own decisions. I think you knew all along that I would go every Sunday; you just encouraged me to be independent and make my own decisions.



This is my “thank you” letter for everything you’ve done for me, all the little things and of course the big things. For waking up every single morning before me to turn on the heater, so when I would wake up and get out of bed the floor would be warm for my feet. For driving me to dance and ballet practice every week and taking me shopping for tutu’s and ballet slippers. For bringing me balloons, candy and medicine to mom’s house every time I had a cold. For always carrying me to bed when I fell asleep on the sofa even when I was a teenager. For all the big bear hugs, piggy-back rides and always scaring the monsters away. For always hanging up my awards even if I came in second place, you we’re always so proud. For teaching me your love of the ocean, and encouraging me to travel the world, because of you I love to travel and learn about different cultures. For all the lessons you taught me when I thought I knew it all, for teaching me to be kind and always give back to people who weren’t as fortunate. For all the unconditional love you give me until this day. With my daddy I know I am always safe.

I love you daddy, more than the moon and the stars,

Your Princess