To my father,
Pa, thank you for everything.
I owe so much of who I am to you and Ma.
Now that I’m older, I find myself remembering the quiet ways you shaped my life. Every school year, you made sure we had everything we needed—new bags, fresh pens, uniforms, books. You gave us beginnings that felt hopeful, complete.
When I did well—perfect scores, contests won—you celebrated me in your own simple way, asking what I wanted to eat, sharing in my joy like it was your own. On rainy days, you carried me to school, making sure I arrived safe and dry. You paid for my education, provided for my needs, and even helped bring my school projects to life when I couldn’t do it alone.
I remember how your happiness at the end of every school year became my happiness too. The pride in your eyes, the smile on your face—those were the things that pushed me to do better, to keep going.
Each time you walked beside me in commencement processions, your hand quietly holding mine, I felt something deeper—that this was how you had always loved me. Steady. Present. Guiding me through every stage of my life.
You supported my education all the way through college… and even now, as I find my own footing, you’re still there, helping in the ways you can.
And one day, when you walk me down the aisle, I hope I’ve given back even a fraction of the love you’ve given me so freely.
How blessed I am to have you as my father.
Thank you—for your sacrifices, your patience, your unwavering support. Anyone can be smart, talented, or full of dreams. But not everyone is given parents who believe in them the way you believed in me. I thank God, always, for giving me parents like you.
I love you.
And now, I’m driven to build a life where I can give back to you—to spoil you with the things we once set aside, not because we lacked, but because you chose to prioritize our education above all else.
I want to be the kind of daughter who brings you ease after years of hard work, who gives you reasons to rest, to smile, to feel that everything you poured into us has come back to you in full.
May the years ahead be kinder to you, softer, lighter. May they give you the time to enjoy the life you worked so hard to build for us. And may I be there through it all—just as you have always been there for me.
Thank you for being my first home, my first teacher, my quiet strength.
All my love,
Joy