Of all the things that could be late, this is the least troublesome.

Day Three: Letter to Parents

Dear Parents,

Recently I've been thinking about how children don't get to choose their parents. How each one of us is thrust into this family construct without being asked what color hair we would like our mother to have or the way our father would react to a broken curfew. And sometimes I get angry because we're just so different. Often I go into teen angst mode and grumble about how neither of you "understand me." So many times I forget that you are human beings with thoughts, and feelings, and dreams, and hopes, and fears. I place you into this neat box of being "parents," and it's never that easy. It will never be that easy.

But I love you. I love you both so entirely much. I love you for understanding my need to leave Indiana, for being patient with me when I returned home and spouted new ideas about marijuana and abortion and gay marriage and other seemingly important social issues, for listening to me complain about boys and girls and knuckle-headed professors, for offering me sound advice. Such sound advice.

I love both of you for being such a strong example of what a marriage should be. A marriage that has not been perfect, full of peaks and valleys, full of love, full of devotion to each other and to Christ. You challenge each other. You fart in front of each other. That's what I want with my future husband. To laugh and fart.

This is rambly. I wish I could tell all of this to you in person. I want to get to know both of you outside the realm of being my parents, and one day I know I will. It's exciting to know that I get to grow with you. It's exciting to know that you love me completely. It's exciting to know that one day I will take everything that you have taught me will be put to good use. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Love,
THE GREATEST DAUGHTER IN THE WORLD