Dear Dad

Last year in my religion class our professor had us write a letter to our fathers, to express our love and appreciation for them. I did the assignment and fully intended to give the letter to my dad, but life and school and life happened and I forgot.

Then I stumbled across this video today, and it reminded me that I still had that letter deep in the archives of my computer, and that I still haven't given it to him. I found it and read it, and then realized that there is so much more I wanted to say. So here it is (new and improved):

Dear Dad,

I just wanted to say that I love you. You're the best dad a girl could ever ask for, and I can't believe how lucky I was to get you. You have taught me some of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned. From you I've learned how to work hard, to never give up, and to always expect the best of myself. I'm so grateful to you for pushing me to be my best, even when I pushed back and gave you a hard time.

If you've watched the video above, then you'll know how grateful I am to you for loving Mom. The more I grow up the more I realize how absolutely blessed I am to have parents that love each other. I have never once doubted that you love Mom or that she loves you. You showed me by example how I should expect to be treated in a relationship, and to not accept anything less. Thank you for loving Mom.

I also want to thank you for being a worthy Priesthood holder. Your example and testimony have strengthened and blessed me in so many ways and I will never be able to thank you enough for that. Thank you for teaching me the gospel, and for being a great example of love and righteousness. There is so much I have learned from you and your example and it makes me want to be a better person.

Something I will never forget is how you've always supported me in everything I do. You came to all of my softball games, even if they were in the snow and you spent hours upon hours in the gym and on the field catching for me when I was learning to pitch. I'm pretty sure you had a lot more important things to do, but you were always willing to take the time for me. You drove me all over the place to auditions and gave me encouragement when I was having a hard time in school or with friends. Thank you for believing in me!

Thank you for all the advice you have given me. I really am grateful for it, even though I have been less than gracious when receiving it at times. I got pretty lucky to have a dad who gives advice for a living. Also, I'm just realizing it now, but you really did give me some of the best boy advice I've ever gotten. And as much as my teenage self would have hated to admit it, you were right. About a lot of things.

I also want to thank you for allowing me to make my own choices and mistakes. It must be so hard as a parent to let your kids make their own choices, especially when some of those choices are pretty dumb, but I'm grateful you allowed me to make my own mistakes and learn from them. And you never would rub it in or say "I told you so", when I did make a mistake, you would just give me a hug and point me in the right direction again.

I love your sense of humor and the fact that you weren't above laughing at yourself. I love that you know how to have fun. You helped me not to take myself too seriously, which was a good thing to have as a teenager. I love that you're a good listener and that you can make sense of what I'm trying to say even when I'm too emotional to get it out clearly.

I love you so SO much, and I'm so incredibly grateful that I get to be your daughter forever. I will always be your little girl.

Love, Brontë

P.S. Remember this?