To Mom and Dad...I Love You

It is a typical Saturday night for me, winding down before I turn in early for a 6 a.m. start to my Sunday. I have recently finished my preparations for tomorrow and my mind can freely wander without quickly returning to what I am going to say in the morning.

This evening my thoughts turn to my family, my mom and dad in particular. I am finishing a glass of apple cider that isn't very good, but I appreciate all the same because mom and dad gave it to me. It was probably something left over from a church function that they didn't want and so sent home with me, but that doesn't matter. It is just one tiny example of the care they have taken in raising me as their child and tonight I find myself nearly in tears thinking about how thankful I am for them and how dearly I love them.

At one point this evening I thought about some of my friends who have lost one or both of their parents and my stomach ties in knots just thinking about being without them. I am a pretty stable person, with a good job, and a small army of loving friends, but I fear that even still I would barely hang on right now without them. Of course, like anyone else, I am sure I will get along without them when the time comes, but my world will be a little bleaker on that day.

I spent a lot of my life giving little credit to them and all the credit to God. It is not that God does not deserve the credit for my health, stability, and capability, but I would not have any of it without his gift of an incredible family. I have had all the opportunity in the world because of them and I will never come up with words to thank them strongly enough.

I cannot even imagine what life without them will be like. When I don't have the house I grew up in to go home to whenever I like. A place where I know I need worry about nothing. Home is an important concept for people and I know it better than most because I have a place where I will always be welcome, where I can always turn, where I will always belong.

This may be sappy and seem like something that does not belong on a blog for the world to see, but the thing is it isn't for the world, it's for them and this is the best way to send my love and my thanks...thank you mom and dad, I love you.