People ask me who I’m more like, my mom or my dad. The truth is, I’m both.
From my mom, I learned compassion. I learned how to care when nobody is watching, how to put others first, and how to find strength in kindness. She taught me that love isn’t just something you say, but it’s something you live every single day. The softer parts of who I am, the parts that still believe in people even after they’ve let me down, came from her.
From my dad, I inherited grit. I learned that life doesn’t hand you anything worth having. You get back up, you work harder, and you keep moving even when you’re exhausted. He taught me resilience, responsibility, and that a man’s character is built in the moments nobody applauds.
Some days my mom shows up in me. Other days my dad does. Most days, they’re both there, balancing each other out. One reminds me to lead with my heart. The other reminds me to stand firm when life tries to knock me down.
I’m not a perfect copy of either of them. I’ve made my own mistakes and found my own path. But every good thing they’ve poured into me has become part of who I am today.
If you see kindness in me, thank my mom. If you see determination in me, thank my dad. And if you see someone still trying to become a better man every day, thank them both. Their love, lessons, and sacrifices helped shape the person I’m still becoming.
