a letter.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you. Thank you for giving me a childhood -- one full of dreams, magic, and laughter straight from the belly. A room to call my own that could be decorated and messied and lived in. Thank you for manners, pleases and thank yous, and smiles that go a long way. Thank you for old movies on rainy evenings that beg for grilled cheese sandwiches. Thank you for letting me play in the rain, run down the street barefoot, and for asking me to wear my helmet. Thank you for dogs and the total adoration they gave to me. Thank you for fresh fruit, vegetables, and family dinners every night. Thank you for building the treehouse in the backyard. Thank you for Thai food on the beach and marathons of Northern Exposure reserved for summer nights. Thank you for an imagination -- the time and freedom to think, create, dream, be. Thank you for good music. For the Beatles. Wilco. Coldplay. Thank you for pursuing passions, which gave me the strength to pursue my own. Thank you for showing me that love trumps money, and that love comes at the most unexpected times. Thank you for showing me what good love is, what role a parent can play, how to turn something negative into something positive. Thank you for letting me know that crying is okay, good even. Thank you for letting me paint my room often. Thank you for style and grace and the power of forgiveness. Thank you for teaching me that vacations are worth more than any price tag that may be placed upon them. Thank you for teaching me that knowledge of the world around me is more valuable than most things. Thank you for exposing me to the history of this great country of ours. Thank you for letting me make mistakes even when it was hard for you not to interfere. Thank you for helping me to recognize the value of friendship and for allowing me to be myself. Thank you for loving me.

Love, Rox

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