Everything Andie

Hey Dad,

I want to thank you for teaching me about tough love and preparing me for this crazy world.

While tough love can be very hard to face in the moment, I know now that it’s also a sign of care. I’m sorry it took me a while to understand this, but as I got older and realized that this was how you showed love, and that love can actually be shown in SO many ways, I appreciated it so much more.

So, thank you for throwing me in the pool so I can learn how to swim (literally and figuratively). Thank you for teaching me how to drive in a lifted Ford F150 truck because “if I can drive that, I can drive anything”. Thank you for showing up to my high school parties to “check on me”… Thank you for making us work for the money we needed for activities with our friends, instead of just giving it to us. Thanks for giving us a curfew and making sure I was always home safe. Thank you for making us help mom around the house and for doing random room inspections. Thanks for having us write memos when we did something wrong so we understood the totality of the circumstance. Thank you for sitting us down for family meetings to clear the air. Thanks for teaching me how to change my oil, cabin filter, and tail lights. Thank you for the advice on investing and saving. Thanks for saying yes, when mom said no.

Thank you for always being honest and real. Thank you for always being there for us.

“A father’s tears and fears are unseen, his love is unexpressed, but his care and protection remain as a pillar of strength throughout our lives.”

– Ama H. Vanniarachchy

You taught me that life isn’t always fair and nothing is ever free. You taught me about boundaries, responsibility, independence, and respect. You helped me build the mental and physical armor I need to navigate this crazy adult life.

I’ve heard people claim that you’re not loving. I believe the way love is shown is subjective. To me, you are sensitive, caring, and loving in your own ways and I am just so happy and proud to have you as my dad. You might not show love in super warm hugs and gentle words 24/7, but your version of showing love somehow always affects me the most.

I love the simple words you write in my cards, the gifts from you (or secretly mom), our shared love of peanut butter, how you randomly call me to tell me a funny story, and our competition of sending each other songs with deep lyrics.

I’m sorry I don’t tell you enough, but I love you. I hope this letter shows that I appreciate everything you have done to raise us, no matter how hard it was as a young dad. Please forgive yourself for what you think you have or have not done. I know you did the best you could and we have the best memories with you. Thank you for being the best teammate to mom. To the world, you are just a father, but to our family you are the world!

I absolutely love our relationship and the respect that we have for each other now that I’m older.

You’ll forever be my favorite dad.

Love,

Your Favorite Daughter