To my beautiful daughter. Always waiting for your next birthday. Already telling people “I’ll be 13 next year” because technically, at the end of NEXT year, you WILL be 13, but at the end of this year, you will be 12.
Don’t wish it away, my dear. You will never get it back. Growing up is hard, but it makes you who you are. Don’t just skip right to the grown up part without experiencing life as a child, a tween and a teen. It builds your character. It teaches you how to treat other people. And it’s the only time in your life when you can have the best of both worlds.
As your mother, I’m not sure which is hardest for me. To see you struggle to grow up or to know you wish you could skip the whole process. Because yes, I know there are things about life that suck, but there is so much value in the experience.
I know what I’m talking about here. I was once just like you. My whole childhood goal was to grow up and be on my own. To leave behind the world of lame parents and boring school. To get on with life and do the things I wanted to do. It was all about me. And that’s the problem. I never learned that life isn’t all about me.
Oh, but believe me… I’ve learned it now. As an adult. Through the same hard lessons that I could have learned as a child. Only, instead of them having childish consequences, they have affected my adult life. Through loss of friendships, a failed marriage, financial problems, and unintended job loss.
So please, experience life. Make your mistakes while you’re young. Your dad and I will be there to help you up and cheer you on again. Thirteen will be here soon enough. So will 16, 18 and 21. All the milestones are waiting for you, but first, have fun along the way. Play, laugh, cry, get mad, pray, learn, read, seek, be silly, fall down, have a crush, embarrass yourself, win an award, mend your heartache, and always, always, get back up and press on.
I love you more than I will ever be able to put into words. My child. My mini me. My perfect gift from heaven.
