As I watched your car drive away and back to Nashville, I tried (and failed) holding back tears. My tears were an awkward mix of happy, sad, confused, and overwhelmed, but more than anything, they were grateful tears.
I want to thank the both of you for well... everything!
I stand here today confident, capable, and oddly content, and it is all thanks to the two of you. You have blessed me beyond measure with your love, support, and guidance. Your example has served as a foundation for both my dreams and values.
Thank you for providing me with an education rich in both challenging curriculum and transformative theology. Thank you for helping me with homework, being my advocate, and believing in me even when I doubted myself. Thank you for teaching me that the greatest life lessons do not always lie within the classroom, but outside in the world. You taught me this through traveling to new places, exposing me to a vast array of interests, and through meeting and engaging with people from all walks of life. Thank you for loving me when it was not always easy - from the drama, to the breakdowns, to the backtalk, to the negative attitudes - your love never wavered, and with a few simple words, you always brought me back to a humble, grateful place. Thank you for prioritizing the value of family, and putting family first always. Thank you for my strong value system. Thank you for encouraging me to be a little different and think outside the box. You taught me that as long as I know who I am, I shouldn't worry about being misunderstood by others. Thank you for allowing and embracing my strong personality and desire to stand out and always be myself. Thank you for always encouraging me to dream big dreams and shoot for the moon, and thank you for believing in the possibility and power of my dreams to come to life. Thank you for always cultivating strong ambition and tenacious determination. Thank you for giving me the courage to leave my safe, sheltered bubble and attend a school 7.5 hours away (and making sure my brother was by my side... literally)!
As I'm writing this, it feels like the end of something, and I guess in a way it is, but it is not over. In fact, it is only just beginning. I know you two are still right by my side even though distance separates us, and I know that your life lessons and abundant love and support are still very much in present tense.
Thank you for making these past 18 years ones full of love, comfort, experience, growth, laughter, learning, and memories. As you have always taught me, it is in the scary, challenging, and unknown where we grow the most. While I tend to get frustrated with the unknown destinations that the future brings, the two of you are there to remind me that the beauty lies in all seasons of life and the journey is what living is all about.
Here's to the next four years! I'm thrilled to discover what all is in store!
Thank you for letting me be your princess - always and forever. See you soon!
With love,
Your Sarah Bearah
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