Dear future daughter,

You aren't here yet, but I already love you. There's so much I want to say to you in your lifetime. I will probably never get through it all; there's just too much you need to know. Some of it, you will learn from experiencing life as it comes. Some of it, you will have to learn from me.

I hope you fall in love. I hope you love so hard it hurts. I hope you find a man or woman who makes your heart feel like it's going to explode out of your chest and fall into your hands just so you can give it to them. I hope you find someone who makes everything sound interesting, even just their morning routine or their evening walk. I hope you stare at them when they're not looking, even if you feel a little creepy. I hope you lay with them in bed or on the couch, feel them breathe, and thank God that He made them. I hope you love someone so much, you forget about hating yourself. This person will teach you how beautiful emotions can be, how much you need to recognize them, and how to control them. This person will teach you how to smile and laugh at small things. This person will teach you the art of planning ahead, supporting people, and focusing on others instead of yourself.

I hope your heart breaks. I hope you fall hard out of love. I hope you wake up in excruciating pain from how much your heart hurts. I hope you have trouble falling asleep because you are so broken inside. I hope you cry so hard your sides hurt. I hope you feel like you are physically ripping in two. I hope you lose the person you thought you'd have forever. This will teach you that nothing is guaranteed. This will teach you that you cannot love people more than you love yourself. This will teach you not to put people on a pedestal and think they are beyond reproach. This will teach you that you can keep going.

I hope you talk to everyone. I hope you make hundreds of friends, but only a few best friends. I hope you have one best friend you keep since preschool. I hope you tell them your secrets. I hope you tell strangers your secrets. I hope you speak to everyone with a smile. I hope you are kind. This will teach you that, no, it's not always "stranger danger." This will teach you that people are there for you. This will teach you that kindness gets you a long way in life. This will teach you that if you do nice things for others, they are more likely to reciprocate.

I hope you are lonely. I hope some days, you sit in your room and do nothing. I hope there are moments when you have no one to talk to. I hope you go several days without seeing your friends. I hope you forget about everyone else occasionally. This will teach you how to live with yourself. This will teach you that people will not always be there for your entertainment. This will teach you that sometimes, you need to be alone to survive. This will teach you to step back and take a breather.

I hope you take adventures. I hope you see the beauty in absolutely every night you are out. I hope you stay out to watch the sunsets. I hope you stay awake to watch the sunrises. I hope you stay out so late you don't sleep. I hope you take pictures. I hope you go out with your friends just about every night. I hope you stay that extra 30 minutes at the local diner. I hope you spend all your money on experiences. This will teach you that material things will never compare to memories. This will teach you that money is not everything. This will teach you that your best moments will be with your friends. This will teach you that no, "nothing good happens after midnight" is not true. This will teach you to love every moment of your life rather than just the exciting ones.

I hope you fight. I hope you stand up for yourself, your friends, your family, your rights, and anything that makes you feel protective. I hope your blood boils. I hope you get into heated debates. I hope you are passionate about your opinions. I hope you hear dissenting opinions. I hope you make your own opinions and beliefs separate from your parents. I hope you follow those beliefs regardless of what I say. This will teach you that you have a voice and it's important. This will teach you that no matter what your parents believe, you are your own person. This will teach you that people think differently and that's okay. This will teach you that you matter.

I hope that you know all of this, and so much more. I hope you never stop learning and loving and hurting and hating and feeling. I want the world for you, and then some. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, you are as strong as I am multiplied by 10. I believe in you.