Dear Daughter,
Even though you are years away from the big ugly struggles of the world, you are only months away from scraped knees and monsters under the bed. As the times come, it is my duty to protect you from them while I still can. I will always be here to cover your falls with Mickey Mouse Band-Aids, to spray under the bed with monster repellant, and to make sure that you know that those ugly green veggies are your friends and not your enemies. There will come a time that I can no longer protect you from everything. This time may still be years away, but there are a few things that I would like you to know and always remember.
First and foremost, God is number one.
The absolute most important lesson that you will learn from me is that your relationship with God is number one. He, the mighty one, crafted you with his own two hands and sent you to me. For that, you should always be thankful. To him, you owe everything. Prayer should be the essential part of your life and you should always remember that He never stops listening. Live your life for the God above and always turn to his word for any answers that you might need. If at first you don’t find the answers you were looking for, pray. God will always send you the tools to find your way.
If at first you do not succeed, try again.
When you first learn to ride a bike, you aren’t going to get it perfect right away. You will fall a couple times and you might shed a few tears, but it is important that you get back on and try again. I promise that you will get it right. When you are 14 years old and have your first big test in Chemistry, it’s okay if you don’t get the A that you wanted, even if you stayed up all night studying. You cannot be perfect at everything all of the time. Go back, study what you missed and try again next time.
Your teachers are there to help you.
One or more times in your life, you will come across a teacher or professor with whom you have no interest in. Maybe this is because he or she disciplines in a certain way in which you deem unnecessary. You may find yourself in a classroom, listening to a 40-something-year-old woman who teaches at the pace of a snail, or maybe at a pace in which you can’t keep up with. You might come across a professor with smelly breath and coffee stains, but it is important that you remember that none of them are your enemies. Your educators are in front of you solely to teach you, guide you, and prepare you for the future. Each one of them woke up that morning to stand before you, to enrich your mind and to extend your knowledge. Education is extremely important in life. Be thankful. Treat them with respect.
It’s okay not to feel okay.
Sometimes life can disguise itself as something that is too hard to handle. You will come across days in your life where you feel like you have had to handle too much. There will be times when you feel like doing nothing other than staying in your own bed and wasting away in your tears. This is normal. The reason why God will allow you to go through rough times is because he believes that you can overcome them. It is okay not to feel okay. It is not okay to give up. Always remember that when life feels like too much, there is a reason for it. God is giving you the chance to feel the bad so that you can appreciate the good. Sometimes, problems will seem like they are getting worse before they get better. When this happens, let go and let God. You will always be okay, even if you feel like you are not.
Always be yourself.
You are beautiful and wonderfully made. This day and age, there are so many different ways that society can make you feel small. Always remember, you are worth everything. There is nothing wrong with you. God makes no mistakes, and the way you are is the way that you should be. The way that he made you is perfect. Do not ever change yourself because you feel the need to. Whatever it is that is allowing you to feel this way, get away from it; it isn’t doing you any good.
You are who you hang out with.
You will probably hear me say this many times. My mother used to tell me this as I was a child and I didn’t realize the truth behind what she was saying until I was much older. It is important that you learn this at a young age. If you lie down with the dogs, you are going to get fleas.
Always be a lady.
Never cross your legs when you are wearing a dress; keep them to the side with your feet together. Use your manners at the dinner table and always say please and thank you. Keep the dirty no-no words from your vocabulary and always enter a room with a smile. If you present yourself as a lady, you will always be treated as such.
Do not give into peer pressure.
As you reach the age where you will be presented with different things you have not yet tried, there will be many people who will pressure you into stepping outside of your comfort zones. Before you try, think. Always think about what you are about to do before you do it. Come to me; I will not be mad. It is important that you feel like you can talk to me about anything. I will always tell you the truth. There will come a time when I can no longer make your decisions for you, and when that time comes, it is important that you know your limits. Never let anyone bring you away from them.
The things you say will never be forgotten.
Always be mindful of the words that leave your beautiful mouth. The saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” is never true. Be wise with what you say to and about others. This will not define who they are; it will only define who you are. Never speak harshly when you are angry and never use language that might intentionally hurt another person. Whether that person can hear you or not is never what matters. Always remember that no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to take your words back. Be kind, be gentle, and always set a good example.
Family is everything.
God should always be your most important relationship. Second to him, your relationship with your family is the most valuable thing you will ever have. Family is everything. Throughout life, you will see people come and go. Friends will leave you and people will betray you. Never forget that your family will always be there for you, no matter what. Your family will always have your back when the girl that you thought was your best friend forever just stabbed it. Never take that for granted.
Heartbreak sucks.
One day, you will meet a boy who brightens your world and flips the entire thing inside out. He will sweep you off of your feet and make you feel something you have never felt before. It may be that even though this boy makes you feel butterflies on the inside, he isn’t the special one that God has set aside for you. If he breaks your beautiful heart, always remember the outstanding, wonderful and courageous woman that you are. Know that he doesn’t make you anything less than that. It will hurt like a billion bruises when you give your love to someone who doesn’t give theirs to you in return. Never blame yourself for this. Never blame yourself for those who are not capable of loving you in the way that you love them. Most importantly, never feel bad or apologize for the way that you love. Treat this heartbreak as a guide in preparation for the right one, which leads me to my next important lesson for you.
When you find love, you will know it.
Love is a very special thing. When you love someone, you love them for everything that they are. It is important that you know that if someone loves you, they will love you for you. There is a person out there for you, and even if it takes a while to find them… always remember not to worry. You will know when you do. Never settle for less than what you deserve. You are worth so much, little one. The right person will know that you are worth everything in this world, and treat you like you are worth even more. When you meet the man of your dreams, the one that God has sent to you, you will then begin to understand why it never worked out with anyone else. He will better you and you will better him. He will take care of you and if he’s the right one, he will love you in the way that you love him, and he will love you even more. Even when you have found the one whom your soul desires, the love that you two share will not always be perfect. There will be times that you both will need to fight for that love. It is okay not to agree on everything. You must know that sometimes you both will not see eye to eye, but it is important to remember that sometimes the argument is worth losing. You are not always right. He is not always wrong. The key to love is realizing that on cloudy days, when it’s hard to see the stars, it is important to find them together. When you find love, you will know it because all of the sudden, you’ll see that those stars were right in front of you the whole time.
You will always be my little girl.
You are approaching your first year and I cannot help but wish that these days will never end. Right now, the most important time to me is the time that I have with you as you sleep in my arms. Time flies, baby. One day, you will be too old for my kisses as I drop you off at school. One day, you will be too big to hold as you dream away with me in our rocking chair. One day, you will grow tired of holding my hand everywhere that we go. I hope you know that you will always be my little girl. When you are older and have gone away to college, you will still be the baby that I stayed up singing to until 4 am. You will always be mommy’s angel, no matter how old you get. Remember this when you are sixteen and riding with that cute boy from math class to see the new saga at the theater that everyone has been raving about. Remember this when you are riding home, trying to make it in the door before 9:01. I simply cannot protect you from the world forever, but remember this when I try to.
I will always love you.
You and I are not going to have a perfect relationship 24/7. It is no secret that there will be times when you feel like I am being unfair or unreasonable. There will be times when you feel like you cannot stand another second of me. I dread the days that you feel this way, but it will happen. It always does. The thing is, you should always remember that everything that I say and do, I do because I love you. There will be people in your life who will come and go, but one thing is for sure; I will always be here. I believe that God gives daughters to mothers who need a lifelong best friend. You, my dear, will always be my best friend. I will forever be your number one fan, your cheerleader, your coach, and your go-to. I love you so much, and that is something that will never change.
Love,
Mommy
