What I'm Grateful For: My Mom and Dad

What am I grateful for? Well it would only make sense to make my first gratitude post about the most important thing(s) in my life. And what would that be you may ask? I mean, well if you are very interested in it as I am, then I guess you are dying to know. But I am ENTERNALLY grateful for these two individuals I call “mom” and “dad”. Yes, very cliché, saying how thankful I am for my parents, but you know what, that’s how I’m feeling. I love my parents, absolutely adore them and cannot begin to thank them for everything they have done for me in life.

I didn’t realize just how amazing my parents were until I found myself fighting my way through all my years of college (still fighting, so don’t congratulate me yet). I already knew I was more independent than others my age, and most defiantly more responsible, but little did I know. The kids I go to school from are mostly from the city, and have little knowledge of what exactly a dollar means and what physical items can cost. I felt like an outcast merely because I knew there were bills to pay and I couldn’t go to the movies/bars every weekend with all the others. But mostly, I was different in how I was raised. I was given a lot growing up and even know, but I appreciated it all and didn’t accept it without understanding what went behind the gesture (unlike a lot of others my age). I worked hard, and knew I would always have work hard to get anywhere in life because things weren’t handed to me just because I asked.

Because my parents were not afraid to discipline me, to tell me I’m wrong and naïve, I am the person I am today. Granted this journey with my parents was never the easiest (including a time around my sophomore/junior years of college when I thought I had life all figured out…again….but what would I know? Squat actually, absolutely nothing). But I have come to appreciate how my parents raised me, making me pay for everything I want, for making pay bills each month so I know how to properly save and handle money, for telling me I can’t go do certain things that all the other kids are off doing. They do all of this because they have this love for me that I cannot even begin to return. My parents are my best friends, and I’m one of those weird kids that actually loves hanging out with my parents on the weekends.

Despite everything I have been through, they have always stood by my side when others would bow out. They were there the nights I broke up with boyfriends and couldn’t stop crying; they were there when I was having anxiety attacks about returning to school because my senior year was a basic shit show thanks to some awesome (sarcasm) professional staff members.

My mother is my best friend, and my dad is the type of guy who will go to any ends to help me. Together, they are the ultimate pair, the A-team, and my biggest cheerleaders (even if I do embarrass my dad in the middle of SAMs club when I am backing up the jazzy). So shout out to the two people in my life who I know will never leave me when everyone else does, and to those who love me despite all the times I have messed up. I love you, and appreciate you more than anything else in this world. Happy Thanksgiving!

#johnna #whatareyougratefulfor #Grateful #series #gratitude #parents