Children growing up in the South probably have a much greater appreciation, or at least respect, than many areas around the world.

It’s taught to us from an early age from everywhere. It doesn’t matter if it comes from the pulpit on Sunday morning, your grandparents or some other person in the community.

Granted, we have our moments when we don’t think our parents understand us. Sometimes we are right about that, especially when you’re a teenager about to head out into the real world.

There were times when I thought that. There were times I thought they were even being a little too hard on me.

Most of the time, they actually understood much more than I realized.

Everyone usually has that one day when your eyes are opened and you see that they were much smarter than we thought.

We take time every year to celebrate this on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Maybe we should create a Parents Day, much similar to Presidents, a day that’s selected between the two holidays to honor both parents together.

(Of course, Memorial Day falls between those days, but I digress.)

All of our parents are important throughout our life. Someone can be a parent to you without being your biological mother or father.

Parents can be people that have helped mentor you along the way. They might be teachers, ministers or just really good friends who took you under their wings and helped teach you to be a better person.

During this time, it’s important to take time and think about all of the parents we’ve had in our lives. Maybe, we need to give them a phone call or send a card just to say “thank you.” Or just drop a note on their Facebook page saying just how much you appreciate them.

I’m grateful that my parents have been better to me than I deserve, but I have many others that had a profound impact on my life. There’s too many to name.

Thank you to all of you and I hope I can be as good of a parent to others that you’ve been to me.

Brent Maze is the managing editor of the Hartselle Enquirer.