Hey there little one,

You are amazing. I cannot stress enough how amazing you are. You won't realize for a while how much you are capable of, but I'll tell you it's a LOT. You are still so naive and innocent. Please stop wishing to grow up. Middle and High School don't matter as much as you would like to think. Wear whatever kind of crazy socks you want and do not worry about the stares you're receiving. The trends that all of your friends are doing will fade away in a few years so you can stop with the neon colored eyeshadow -- please stop. People will talk about you and some rumors are going to fly around. Stay true to who you are and everything else will fall into place. I promise you'll be okay soon, their words don't matter as much as you'd like to think.

There will be many days where you come home and listen to your Taylor Swift album on repeat because you have so many emotions and don't know what to do with them. Keep making up code names for the guys you have a crush on. You've hidden behind books and your cleverness for years. As soon as you walk across that stage and graduate from high school your eyes will open slightly. College will be a world wind and completely life-altering within the first few weeks. You will be tested, but let's be honest -- you were able to make it through middle AND high school in one piece. You can do this. You will soon question what is your purpose here on this crazy earth. I can promise you that there is a reason. Even now I don't know what the purpose is, but I know there is one. You will soon learn.

You will soon learn how many lives you have the ability to impact and you will soon begin to think of others first. You will no longer be that little girl who brought her book to lunch. You will be a beautiful butterfly. But don't think it's over because it's far from over. Little one you will continue to evolve and you will test your own limits and boundaries, which is okay. I am so proud of you for all you have already accomplished. You will learn to be vulnerable- shocking I know!

Life will always test you. The lemons will be tart at times, just keep adding your sweet sugar to it and you'll soon have lemonade. You will still blast the latest Taylor Swift album because you have too many emotions. But you'll also have dance parties with your amazing friends to get through it all. Confidence will soon pour through your veins, you will be triumphant.

Enjoy what's in front of you and the people who are in your life because they will come and go. Keep finding out who you want to be. I believe in you because you are enough. You are enough in this crazy messed up world. You matter to people and you impact their lives. Don't regret too much, you're supposed to make a few mistakes.

love, an older you

ps- do not eat the macaroni and cheese they serve in school, it will make you sick....