To My Children:

As I watch you start another school year, and our lives become less about firsts and more about a rhythm of responsibilities and laughter, I want to write you these things today.

 

Never hold a grudge.  It hurts you more than it hurts the other person.

 

Always laugh if you have a chance.  Laugh aloud from your soul.  Laughter becomes more and more the best dessert, the longer you live.

 

Be the best person you can be.  It always counts, even if no one sees. 

 

When you love, love all the way.  Your heart will be broken, simply because that’s part of life.  But loving halfway doesn’t protect you from pain or a broken heart. 

 

Don’t be afraid of pain.  It won’t kill you.  The sooner you understand it’s a necessity, the sooner you can learn to hold it when it’s yours and let it go when it’s no longer yours anymore. 

 

If you love to dance, dance!  If you love to read, read!  If you love to cook, please cook for me!

 

When you look back on your life, I hope you remember the good and the bad and understand why they both exist.

 

If I could take away all your pain, I wouldn’t.  It would make you less than you are.

 

If I could give you anything, I would give you strength and peace.  With those two things, you can live quite fully. 

 

Trust yourself.  Please trust yourself always.  You are amazing, and you know best about you.

 

Authority is necessary.  Don’t fight it.  Embrace it.  Learn from it.  Surrender when it’s time.  And understand its purpose.

 

When all else fails, sit down and breathe.  Just breathe.  Life isn’t as complicated as you think.  There are simple truths.  Just breathe.

 

I love you, always and forever.  Always and forever.  No matter what happens, this is the one thing I can promise you…  the one thing in all the world that cannot change…  I love you.  You can never do anything to change that.  But that’s not a challenge, sweetie.

 

And even though I love you, I can still make your life hell.  Don’t forget that. 

 

One more thing from me…  I think the spice of life is new things, things you’ve never done before or might never do again.  That’s just me.  But if you ever feel bored, try it.  Try something that makes you feel uncomfortable.  Then grin crazy.  You’ve stepped outside of you and you are still you.  That’s the shit, baby! 

 

Love you both!

MOM