Surat Buat Umi

Dear Umi, 

Thank you Umi,
for always attempting to keep me happy, safe, protected and nourished. 
Thank you for your kindness, caring and immeasurable patience. 
Thank you for looking out for me even when I didn't think I needed it 
and for letting me fall when I had to learn by making my own mistakes. 

Thank you Umi for always being there; 
for waiting up and worrying, for the lectures and the endless concerns. 
Thank you for laughing with me, even though I knew at times that you were also laughing at me. 
Thank you for the limitless hugs, kisses, vitamins and bandaids 
and for the support I receive from you every single day. 

Thank you Umi,  
for keeping me warm, for keeping me calm and for keeping me sane. 
Thank you for understanding that there were times that I would be mad with you 
but always forgiving me in the end. 
Thank you for sticking up for me, for encouraging me, for believing in me and 
for letting me know that you never expected more than the best I could do. 

Thank you Umi,
for teaching me to be honest, courteous, appreciative and loving. 
Thank you for trying to teach me to be neat and tidy, even though it didn't work. 
Thank you for teaching me to try to see the best in people, to be diplomatic in the face of conflict, 
and when I had no choice but to fight, to fight fair. 

Thank you Umi, 
for instilling in me a love for travel, books, flowers, photography and food. 
Thank you for nurturing me to always try something new and to keep an open mind. 
Thank you for the thousands of back rubs, millions of phone calls, and for always sending me home with left-overs. Still, to this day, you spoil me and I am incredibly grateful for it. 

Thank you Umi,  
for showing me how much beauty is around me, and reminding me of it constantly when my world feels dark and frightening. 
Thank you for the endless stories, songs and games when I was young, and the endless conversation and knowing smiles now that I am older. 
Thank you for putting up with thousands of diapers, my know-it-all teenage years, my sometimes insane 20's and the emotional roller coaster that was my 30's. 
And through it all, thank you for loving me no matter what. 

Thank you Umi,  
for being so smart, so beautiful, so wise and so talented. It's nice to know that I have the potential somewhere in my genetics to possibly one day be as special as you. 

Umi, the words 'I Love You' are not adequate enough to express how grateful I am to be your daughter, how much you are appreciated or how much you will always mean to me. So, I will simply say...

"Thank you, Umi for being my superhero, my expert in everything and my very best friend. And I'm sorry because I just realize how much I Love You." 

xoxo - Genit