Open letter to my beautiful daughter whom I gave birth to 20 years ago today:
This year is like no other in history and you get to experience these historical moments first-hand that will forever be written in the history books. 2020 is an amazing time to be alive in so many ways and you have marked the year with your 20 years of grace, beauty and strength.
The amazing thing about these phases of life is, we get through them, we persevere, we learn and grow each time and they don’t last forever. They become a little blip in the large span of our lives and God uses these events to help us grow physically, mentally and spiritually.
In the past twenty years, you have gone through a lot, but you always came out the other side like a shining light in the dark.
From a spirited toddler to a gracious young adult…
You have grown beyond needing your “mimi” which we never thought would pass. You no longer needed your yellow torn ‘blankie” which gave you comfort in times of distress.
You left behind the little holes we used to cut in your footed onsies. This was so you could access your belly button with your tiny fingers to lull yourself into a slumber.
You learned to walk and run even though you never learned to crawl, instead you scooted your behind all the way across the floor. You kept swimming even when you felt you had to rest. Your breaths would fall short but you finished the laps and came out strong with your own personal bests.
You always kept a sense of humor, even in the worst of times. Your camera roll of funny faces will forever be engrained in my mind.
You learned jazz, tap, and modern dance and pressed through on pointe in every show, even on those days when you didn’t think you could dance one more second at all.
You pushed beyond a diagnosis of chronic lyme, and didn’t let that stop you. You continued to pursue your passions, with swim and dance, clubs and friends and kept yourself busy with very little down time. Even those weeks when it knocked you down for days, you got back up, you stood strong and your body continued to carry on. You never lost hope in the process or the path, and many days when your faith wore thin, you reeled yourself back in. You trusted me and your dedicated practitioners, but most importantly you had faith that God had the greater plans.
You preferred not to go to the biggest high school in town, but you persevered all the way through. You got straight A’s, impressed your teachers and even met some friends. In the end this was where you met your soulmate and very special boyfriend.
When the thought of leaving for college was in the midst, it caused much stress. But you walked the walk, danced the dance, and conquered one of the hardest years yet.
Then when covid came to town, the world was pushed beyond all normalcy, and your college and special trips were all shut down. You rallied through all those disappointments and challenges and got to where you are right now.
It’s Sophomore year in college, nothing like the norm, but you continue to study hard, getting 4.0’s, pursuing your goals, even with masks and mandates that keep you within your dorm. You somehow find a way, to do what you do best…being you and staying true to what YOU believe is best.
On this most special birthday year, when you leave the teens and begin the twenty’s, may you always remind yourself of all you have endured and recognize the best coming.
Stay in each moment and realize that your unique journey will get you through, but only when you keep God at your side and have faith in His path and trust in His plan for YOU.
XOXOX
Mom
November 9, 2020
