One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, is a day that I will never forget.
One year ago today, you said "Goodbye."
One year ago today, you announced that you would not be at my wedding.
One year ago today, you walked out of that church rec room and out of my life.
One year ago today, you told me that you needed a pet more than your daughter.
One year ago today, you told me I was a bad daughter for not financially supporting you.
One year ago today, you told me I was a bad mom to my dogs.
One year ago today, you told me I was a bad person all around.
One year ago today, you told me my husband and any future children do not matter as much as you.
One year ago today, you disgraced a group of women that have always supported you despite your displays of mild hatred.
One year ago today, your mother told me that once you were gone I would have no family left. She was false in that statement.
One year ago today, you did me a huge favor.

BECAUSE

One year ago today, I found my resolve.
One year ago today, I became my own woman.
One year ago today, I grew up.
One year ago today, my soul awoke from a shame enduced slumber.
One year ago today, a 44 year old weight was lifted off of my shoulders.
One year ago today, I felt all of the guilt and shame and sadness for being alive slide out of my heart.
One year ago today, I found pride in myself.
One year ago today, I gained control of my own life.
One year ago today, I found a closeness with God that I didn't know was there before.
One year ago today, I saw the true meaning of family.
One year ago today, I got the best damned pedicure of my life.
One year ago today, I learned how to be happy.
One year ago today, I felt the embrace of someone that loves me for who I am, not what I can do for them.
One year ago today, I became truly thankful.

THANK YOU

Thank you for teaching me that I can always rely on myself to get things done.
Thank you for teaching me why it isn't ok to break down in a moment of crisis.
Thank you for teaching me that happiness comes from myself, not those around me.
Thank you for instilling in me a constant need to impress.
Thank you for showing me that I can get a lot more done behind the scenes.
Thank you for teaching me that it really is necessary to grow up and be my own woman.
Thank you for teaching me that it is important to know how to get along with those across the nation.
Thank you for letting me see rock bottom time and time again.
Thank you for teaching me what is appropriate and inappropriate for my children to witness.
Thank you for instilling in me an appreciation for my dad that knows no bounds.

NO REALLY, THANK YOU

In all seriousness, thank you for teaching me that endless reruns of "I Love Lucy" can cure any childhood sickness.
In all seriousness, thank you for making education my first priority in life.
In all seriousness, thank you for trying as hard as you did. I know it must have been hard to look past the center of the universe to make sure I stayed alive.
In all seriousness, thank you for letting me spend summers with my grandparents. They did more for me in 6 weeks away than 3 months at home by myself could have ever done.
In all seriousness, thank you for getting me out of a bad situation, the first time.
In all seriousness, thank you for letting me dance to the beat of my own drum.
In all seriousness, thank you for being there those last two years of high school.