Life Support

Often times, in my job, I do counseling with teenagers. Usually it consists of 1:1 talk therapy and we throw some art or games in there or maybe even a walk to the local ice cream shop. It's amazing how much they open up to me and, unfortunately, often quite sad in what they disclose to me. They talk about abuse, losses in their lives or even something as 'simple' as having a teacher make them feel 'stupid' in class. A lot of them tell me about their relationship with their parents and how they don't feel loved and feel emotionally neglected. When I ask them about what they wish they could change, almost all of them include this in their list, "I wish when I got home from school, my mom or dad would ask, "How was your day?"  It seems like the simplest thing to do but so many teens don't have that in their lives; the love and support of a parent. I see some parents who were raised like this and they make it their goal not to raise their son and daughter like they were raised which is inspiring. But, too many times, I see the cycle of "bad" parenting and neglectful households continue. I think to myself, "Where would I be today if I didn't have the support of my parents?" I'd like to think I'd be resilient enough to make it on my own but I wonder if I would have. Would I be the person I am today? Would I have enough discipline and perseverance to run a marathon? Would my life be with the same?

It's stuff like this that makes me feel so grateful that I've had the parents I do. So, this is a warm and fuzzy shout out to my mom and dad. Dad, thank you for teaching me how to catch a fly ball, taking me on ATV rides along the beach, sitting in the big black inner-tube with me on Lake Erie, giving the best hugs, making me feel better during thunderstorms, telling me the importance of "lifting the bar" and taking me on college tours... thank you 100x. Mom, thank you for putting "love notes" in my lunchbox every day, making me practice my piano, watching Felicity with me, decorating christmas cookies with me every year, reading me books at night, being the loudest parent at all my sporting events, sending me to Sunday school, not allowing me to have Barbies, and being a mom before you were a friend....thank you 100x. Thank you, parents,  for always asking how my day was, for teaching me to value education, have faith, give back, treat everyone equal, be a good friend and to believe in myself. It's because you believe in me, that I believe in myself.