To My Millennial Body,

Thank you for letting me beat you up a little bit.

All the years i spent testing you with daily dance practices, hours and hours and hours of basketball, volleyball, and softball practices, and endless rehearsals were taxing at best, grueling at worst. From every scrape, bruise, and cut to each pulled muscle, torn ligament, brace, x-ray, and cast, you’ve been there for me through it all and never let me down.

I’m sorry I don’t drink enough water. Or eat enough vegetables. Or get enough sleep.

I’m trying, I swear. School work is intense, work is time consuming, and of course I need time to see my friends and watch netflix. But I’m thinking of you, too. That’s why I bought that giant refillable water bottle that I’ve almost lost six times already. And that bath bomb, to like, you know, at least try to relax. It’s a battle, but I’m getting there. I promise to try to go to bed before 4 am, and maybe eat a carrot or two.

Thank you for understanding that sometimes I need to work three jobs and that’s just how it is.

If it wasn’t for you, there’s no way I could go from a 9 hour camp day straight to a 10 hour overnight shift without you. I’m glad you’ve found an efficient way to run off of five cups of bloodshot coffee with coconut milk, vanilla bean scones, and gummy life savers. And not to mention often only two hours of sleep. Thank you for never outgrowing naps, because even 15 minutes in the car on a break is crucial when you’re going as hard as we are.

I’m sorry I party a little harder than I probably should.

I know you want tea and not just another shot of tequila, and I know you wish I stayed warm and wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt instead of ripped jeans and a tank top in the middle of December. I’m sure you’d prefer I be crawling in to bed when I’m usually just leaving my apartment for the night, and that I made an effort to drink more water when me and my roommates roll home at 3 am.

But mostly, thank you for holding my heart, mind, and soul for the past 20 years.

Thank you for giving me a space to think, and to love, and learn, and grow. Thank you for walking and talking when my brain was weary and tired and not sure how to move forward. Even when I didn’t love you, when I thought you were awkward, and too tall, with your frizzy hair and freckles, you kept us going. Thank you for the highs and the lows, and everything in between.

With so so so much love,

Kat

P.S. I hope you don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon, there’s a lot left to do ;)