All my life I've tried to please her, and it was hard standing up there in front of my family, spilling my guts to those who know the "Surface Sarah". That's the thing about family, you only know a certain side to them, and the rest is between you and your immediate relatives. Luckily I had Katie to hold me up and comfort me as I read through my speech to my mother: "Perhaps spite is my intial downfall, which in turn, leads you in the opposite direction of where my heart truly lies. At the end of every day I cast my head down in remorse knowing your incorrect thought process and how easily I could change it. But I hesitate and Im sorry for continually keeping the best of me so selfishly inside. And though it appears I overlook what you do, I acknowledge and thank you for struggeling on my behalf 'to give me what you didn't have'. Thankyou for putting me on the track field every friday night to clap and cheer for defense...when we were on offense. I won't forget how I could rely on that chilled bottle of propel stashed in my swim bag after being disqualified several occasions for a careless mistake. Every race I can remember watching the tile pass under me at the bottom of the pool thinking, 'Is this good enough?' 'Even though I own 3rd place will you look upon me with pride?' How about when they announced my name at football games, did it make you want to slap the couple next to you and tell them I'm yours? You never realized it, but I took your existence into consideration during all my study efforts, school functions, and the manner in which I present myself to the world. Through your compliments and support, I'd not have the ambitious goals I have now, and for this I am the most grateful. You've molded me into a zealous writer and convinced me I could places farther than just the end of every peice of paper. Though we purposely avoid the subject, education is going to take me far from you, physically and mentally. Soon enough you'll live your life for you and not take my into thought when going antiquing. But you can always expect me to come home to you and all the memories since Day 1 will be with you in the mean time."