To The Daughter I Haven’t Met Yet

Dear Future First Daughter,

I hope by the time we’ve entered each other’s lives,
I’ve learned how to love myself fully
the way I will spend the rest of my life
showing you how to love yourself.

I hope you never mistake
a boy’s attention for affection,
or a friend’s absence
as a sign that you are not enough.

I hope you know you can always leave,
and that it’s okay to change your mind.
That you can outgrow people,
places,
and even versions of yourself.

Change is good. Change is scary.
Never knowing is scarier.

And if some stupid boy brings you to tears,
I hope you call me.
I’ll remind you how special you are
and that he lost one of a kind.

Not because I know everything,
but I’ve been a girl too,
and boys do suck.

Remember, a boy being mean to you
does not mean he likes you
or loves you.

It means he has a lot to work on
within himself.

But hate cannot be love,
and cruelty is not affection.

I hope you never stop dreaming.
Journal them down.
Chase them
and never lose sight of them,
even when you feel like
your whole world is collapsing.

Your dreams aren’t dumb,
and neither are you
for believing in them.

And I hope you know
that you don’t always have to be strong.

It’s okay to be weak
and to be sad.
With weakness
comes strength.

And I hope you always remember
you are never alone.

Lean on me. I’ll pick you up.
Cry to me. I’ll wipe your tears.

And when you feel like you’re drowning,
I’ll keep you afloat.

But if you ever want to let go and sink,
I’ll be there next to you in the water.

You don’t need to fight the waves.
Sometimes you just need someone
to fight the next current with.

I hope you know
you never have to try to be somebody else
to make me proud.

Being you is a gift,
and I am proud of you
for simply being you.

Not for who you become.
Not for your success.
Or for the dreams
you’ve turned into realities.

But for the person you are
when you think nobody is watching.

Remember, you never have to fight for my love.

I won't forget to check in on you,
even when you're mad at me.
Even when you don't want to talk.
Even when you tell me you need space,
I'll make sure you know
I'm still right here.

Because trust me,
there will be times
when you push me away.

I will never make you feel less than
another child,
or make you believe
your problems and needs are a burden.

You will never have to say sorry
for needing me.

You can always crawl into my arms,
no matter how old you get.

You will never be too old
to need your mom.

Everything I do
has been for the little girl I once was,
the girl who was still learning
what she deserved.

But now,
everything I do
is for you.

And I hope that when you grow up,
you'll understand
that long before I held you,
I was already hoping
to give you the kind of love
every little girl deserves.