Dear Little Girl

Dear little girl,

I have been thinking of you a lot lately. Of your sadness. Your loneliness.

I realized, I need to tell you something.

Thank you. 

Thank you for being you.

Thank you for being strong enough to make it through the hard days.

Thank you for never giving up on yourself. Thank you for pushing and pushing and pushing yourself to always be better than the day before.

You have seen a lot. You have seen pain. You have seen hate. You have seen violence and anger. You have seen disdain–many times, aimed right at you.

But, do you know what is really extraordinary, my sweet girl? 

Despite all you have seen, you have only gotten stronger. Braver. Better.

*Pain has made you understand others–it has made you empathetic, caring, and compassionate.

*Hate has made you kind. It has made you love others with a fierce loyalty and an open and trusting heart. This is truly phenomenal, considering the reaction you could have had.

*Violence and anger have taught you to stand up and fight in peace, with love and understanding.

*Disdain has taught you to respect the thoughts and hearts of others.

………For every terrible thing that happened to you–you survived.

Not only did you survive–you refused, daily, to succumb to a life that was anything less than the opposite of what you were experiencing.

Everyday, you kept going. Everyday, you strove to do better, be better.

You, darling girl…are extraordinary.

Now, you just have to start believing it. 

❤️Love,

Your older self.