Happy 18th birthday to my lovely girl. Another year has passed granting me another opportunity to celebrate you, my sweet, wonderful, and oh so lovely girl.

You are another year older and wiser, and we are another year into our relationship. Learning how to sometimes be your friend, while always, and most importantly, being your mom. I’m just so in love with being your mom.

Legally, you are a grown up now; a young adult. You’ll graduate high school soon. Go off to college. Navigate your life, on your terms, in your way.

I hope the world greets you with kindness as you begin your adulting journey. My hopes for you my most beautiful girl, today and every day, are also. . .

• That you find the best way to be the best version of yourself, whatever that may be and wherever you have to go to do it. I hope that I have empowered you to follow your own unique path. I hope you know that you are valuable simply because you are you. There is no one like you. Don’t confuse what you do with who you are. Remember, you are enough.
• That you know that this is your life to live. Not ours as your parents’. Or Alex’s. Or your friends’. Or anyone else’s. And when the time comes, and it will, it won’t be your partner’s life either. Live your best life sweet girl.
• That you know that you are braver than you believe; stronger than you seem; and, so much smarter than you think you are. I hope you see your potential; your greatness; and, how much power you possess. I hope that you know that you’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of how truly amazing you really are. I hope that you will always push yourself to explore; to crack the surface open; and, that you will dive into life and fully experience your greatness in all of its forms.
• That you know how smart you are, but that you continue to learn. Read. Write. Explore. Listen. Most importantly, listen. Talk to people wherever you go. Ask a million questions when the times are right. Listen to the answers. Don’t stop learning. Ever.
• That you will love your body. It is yours to love and honor, and above all else, respect. I hope that you will take care of your body and not worry about your jean size. A number on the scale is not who and what you are and it never will be. Nor is society’s perception of you and your beauty. You are your kind of beautiful.
• That you know that you can have everything; just not always all at the same time. I hope you will learn patience and persistence. You will find your way. Be ambitious and gentle with yourself at the same time. Show yourself some grace, even and especially when no one else does. That will be the time you will need it most.
• That you never let anyone or anything take away the unwavering joy that allows you to see beauty in every face and around every corner. I hope that you know that your happiness is your responsibility. Don’t give anyone else the power to control your happiness. It’s a huge responsibility, and it’s yours and yours alone. I also hope you know that it is not your job to keep the people you love happy. You’ll want to, but you can’t and that’s ok.
• That you don’t take things, or yourself, too seriously. I hope you always remember to laugh; have fun; take time away from the day-to-day drill; and, occasionally “waste” the day doing things that make you happy. But, don’t make it a habit. And remember, when you fail, it’s not the end of the world. And when you succeed, it’s not the pinnacle of life either.
• That you don’t panic if you aren’t happy all of the time. No one is even if they claim to be. No one is supposed to be. Life is full of ups and downs; peaks and valleys are normal. Persistent happiness is not. Instead, I hope you seek contentment in your life. I hope you keep the faith that you will get through the lows, because you will. I hope you are able to enjoy the times that are happy.
• That you understand that while feelings will pass through you, you have the power to choose how you ultimately respond to them. Once you understand this, you will have a much better shot at being happy. You are in control of your thoughts and your actions. No one else’s. Once something has happened, you get to choose how to think about it and how to respond to it. I hope you will respond and not react.
• That you will practice kindness towards others, but also kindness towards yourself.
• That you operate from a place where you assume good faith until proven otherwise; I hope that you won’t think that the world is out to get you or that people exist only to irritate you. Even if it feels like it, it may not be about you. It won’t always be about you. I hope that you will assume the best in others until they prove to you that they don’t deserve it. I hope that if they do show you that they don’t deserve it, that you are suspicious. And careful. When people show you who they are, please believe them. I hope that you won’t waste your time on people who make you feel worse after you spend time with them. Be selective. Your time is precious.
• That you will have best friends. I hope you have best friends that are worth their weight in gold. It might take you awhile to find her, him, or them, but when you do, cherish their friendship. Nurture it. Treasure it. Don’t ever take it for granted. Be selective of those that make it onto your post it.
• That you show up when you say you will. On time. I learned this lesson late in life; don’t be like me. Always show up for your people. I hope I’ve been an excellent example of this. Keep your word and do the things you say you will do. You’ll never regret doing this, even when it’s hard and you don’t want to follow through. Listen more than you talk. Work hard. Always. Relentlessly. Remember: all that separates successful people from those who are not, is that successful people do what unsuccessful people won’t do.
• That you are bold in your business when you conduct it. You matter. Your needs matter. Your ideas matter. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t be afraid of money. But don’t be a slave to it either. Money is an instrument of freedom, but nothing more. Learn how to manage it; invest it; and, save it. Don’t be uncomfortable talking about it. Or shy asking for it.
• That you know that whatever missteps you make in this life, we will always be there beside you, supporting you, and loving you. That you always know that there is no place like home and you will always be welcomed here with warm hearts and loving arms. I hope you know that we will be here when life gives you a thousand reasons to cry, and when it shows you a million reasons to smile. We will be your soft place to land when you need it, and tough love when you need that more.
• That there has never been a day that you have felt unloved or feared that you could ever lose our love. I hope you know that I love you more than you will ever be able to comprehend, at least until you are a mother yourself. That you know that at the end of your journey, you will look back and you will see that you have left your beautiful mark on this place, having made it better, more special, than it was before you arrived… and know that I am here as long as God will grant me the time to watch it all unfold.

And, finally, that you know that you will forever be my sweet, beautiful girl, and that I will forever love and treasure being your mom.

All my love, from my whole heart.