Dear Daughter,
Don’t be like me. Don’t wait for opportunity to come to you. Look for it. Seek it out. Run at it full force. Don’t be afraid when you find it, either. It was supposed to happen. Ride it out. Don’t let anything hold you back because of fear. Too many things have passed me by because I wasn’t brave enough to say, “yes.” You are crazy clever and amazingly funny. You’ll make the right choices.
Don’t be afraid of being alone. You are a wonderful person! Enjoy your own company. There’s nothing wrong with being by yourself. Travel the world alone! Live alone! Go to a restaurant alone! You got this.
Don’t be afraid of making the wrong choice. I followed you around Target recently for more than an hour while you decided what to buy with a $10 gift card. Embrace your choices. Take your own path. Be you.
Don’t ever think your opinion doesn’t count, that your thoughts aren’t valid or that you don’t deserve to be heard. You do. You are an original. You are intelligent. Contribute to the conversation and be a thought leader.
Be like me.
Be open-minded about people and give everyone a fair shake. Be sensible about who you let into your inner circle, but be welcoming of new friends. Be fearless with just the right dose of caution. Be adventurous. Cut yourself some slack—you will mess up. Fix it and move on.
Remember the lessons learned, the time spent, the hard work. Build a foundation on your life experiences—the ones you made while you were fearless and adventurous.
Keep your sense of humor—it’ll take you places. Keep asking thoughtful questions—you can always learn more. Nothing is too silly—if it makes you happy, hold onto it with both hands.
There’s so much, Little Girl, that I want for you. But most of all, I want you to soar.
