In 2018, Snoop Dog received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He ended his speech by thanking himself for all of his hard work. Recently, I went to a birthday party where another Special Needs mom read a note to thank herself for being an incredible caregiver, based on Snoop Dog’s speech. She inspired me to write my own (and I encourage you to do the same).
I Want to Thank Me
I want to thank me for never giving up. For always showing up, even when I was so tired my bones ached.
I want to thank me for finding the strength inside of me and finding a way to give that strength to my daughter when she needed it.
I want to thank me for learning to quickly interpret medical speech so I could understand and make the best decision possible for my daughter.
I want to thank me for forgiving myself when I make a choice that my daughter didn’t like. I am always doing my best even though sometimes there are no good options.
I want to thank me for the nights I didn’t sleep and the days I barely ate because my daughter needed me that much.
I want to thank me for learning to juggle flaming logs, sharp swords, poisoned arrows and a chain saw (metaphorically of course) and never dropping a single one or setting my hair on fire or chopping off a finger.
I want to thank me for keeping a cool head while fighting traffic after a long day of dragging my daughter to too many doctor’s appointments.
I want to thank me for embracing joy while holding the fear that my daughter could die.
I want to thank me for not being afraid to love.