Thank you for loving me.
For greeting me with a smile,
For encouraging me,
For picking me up when I fall down,
For forgiving my mistakes,
And reminding me I am not my faults.

Thank you for hearing me,
For listening,
For taking action,
For your careful word choice.

Thank you for reading me.
For listening to what I wasn’t saying.
For picking up but I wasn’t laying down.

Thank you for staying by my side.
For fighting for me,
For taking up a war you didn’t have to fight.

Thank you for teaching me.
For explaining so thoroughly,
For waiting so patiently,
For understanding my misspoken words,
For knowing me.

Thank you for taking the time to truly understand me.

Thank you for seeing me —
As a person,
As a gentle soul,
As an emotional teenager,
And not brushing me
Like you so easily could’ve.

Thank you for loving me
Even when it was hard.