Letter to Someone Who Changed My Life

Dear Mr. Moon,

This is a letter for someone who I believe has changed my life for the better.

Who better than you has touched my heart so deeply without ever even knowing me.

You are the one who smushed two totally unalike people who fought and became frustrated with

each other daily.  They barely knew each other and despite all other views and opinions, you told

them to marry right away.

You are the one who brought my parents together; through them I learned that love endures and no

level of annoyance can break it.  You taught me that a love that seems so small and insignificant in

the beginning, can grow and blossom into a healthy marriage that endures for 31 years and still

counting.

You are the one who dragged me to other states and to other countries to go to summer camps and

workshops where children don't know the meaning of sleeping in while on summer vacation and

are so anxious for the hours of lectures to end so that they can finally eat lunch.

You are the one who allowed me to travel to places like New York City, Alaska, and the place

where my soul truly belongs, South Korea (even though I'm one of the whitest people who ever

existed).  You attached my roots to so many different countries like Sweden, Malaysia, Germany,

Italy, and France and if I find myself in one of these foreign countries I know that I would have a

couch to sleep on and a friend to share a morning breakfast with.

But, Mr. Moon, you are the one who dropped me into a life where I dread the question "have you

ever had a boyfriend?" because my answer always varies and I'm afraid that all the people that

I've ever lied to about my religion will meet up and discover that I have an alter in my house with a

picture of an old asian couple that I bow to every now and again.  You are the one who created

this internal struggle that I can't go an entire day without thinking about.  Because of you I now

have two paths in front of me and both look painful and I'm terrified and I just want to take a few

steps back to the time when my mother's "because I said so" was enough.  You are the one who

forced me to actually make a decision for myself.  Why would you do that to me?

Because you wanted me to learn and grow into the person that I am today.  You are the one who

makes me better.  You are the who taught me to be modest and to respect myself.  You are the

one who taught me to throw away my "cool card" and just be me.  You are the one who

introduced me to my best friends in the entire world.  People who have shaped me further by

showing me what my real laugh sounds like and the hilarity of the word "poop" and all the

different consistencies and jokes it comes in.  People who I can not only tell literally everything

to, but will be willing to hold my hand or slap me when necessary.

Because of you, whenever a boy confessed his love for me or invited me into his bedroom when

his parents weren't home, I had to decline.  It made me so angry with myself and with my parents

and with you most of all, Mr. Moon because all I wanted was to be like every other kid who had

boyfriends who brought them flowers and cuddled them at night but there was always some

voice in the back of my mind, which I always thought was yours but in the end it turned out to be

mine.  And that voice told me that anything worth living for is worth waiting for and that, in the case

of dating, practice does, in fact, make perfect.  Practicing breaking up and lying and cheating and

then moving on with your life only perfects your breaking up and lying and cheating and moving

on abilities.

Because of what you taught me, I waited.  Even when I so much wanted to accept those

invitations and forget my morals and everything I've believed my entire life, I continued to wait.

 And because I waited, I found someone who waited for me just as long.  He is my best friend

and he makes me love the person I've chosen to be. This person doesn't

know what it's like to break up and lie and cheat and move on with life.  And together, we don't

ever intend to.

And sometimes I may be afraid to admit to who I am because it seems wierd or different from

what others expect of me.  I've spent my whole life trying to live up to others expectations, craving

to be just another fish in a sea of conformity and anything that sets me apart I supressed it and

kept it hidden, I lied to friends about where I was going for summer vacation and about why I said

no when one of the cutest boys in 8th grade asked me out.  But I'm so grateful for the person that

I've grown up to be because of you.  That is, a person who may be different from society's idea of

"normal" but whos morals mean more to her than any number of sexual conquests or crazy

parties that "everyone whos anyone goes to" can ever mean.

You did that for me.

And a simple "thank you" will never suffice.

But thank you, anyways.

Sincerely,

Me