As you prepare to become a teenager, here are a few things I wish for you:

May you always find the beauty in nature: oceans, trees, mountains.

May you always know your body is a temple, beautifully designed as-is and does not need to be altered or changed to serve you. As long as you have breath in your lungs, blood running through your veins, and faith in your heart, you have everything you need.

May you always have a friend who understands and accepts you for being you. May you be that kind of friend for someone else too.

May you always embrace your strengths while allowing your vulnerabilities to shine through. It is not arrogant to humbly acknowledge your God-given gifts. However; embracing your imperfections makes you entirely human.

May you always feel safe: at home, at school, from the inside and out. Always. When in doubt, trust your gut.

May you always know being authentic is better than trying to be something you are not. Even when it feels like you are swimming upstream, “Just keep swimming.” Going against the grain because it’s the right thing to do is how revolutions begin. Listen to your inner voice. Intuition is rarely wrong.

May you always know God’s love for you. There is no greater love than this. If you find yourself searching for it, take a knee rather than looking in empty, extrinsic places.

May you always know mistakes are opportunities for growth and do not define you. Accept responsibility and apologize when you misstep. And when you put your foot in your mouth, be humble enough to admit it. Use apologies wisely; back them up with sincerity. Most people can feel the difference. Mean it when you say it. Forgive yourself too.

May you always know your uniqueness is golden, even if it’s not trendy or fashionable. Spend more time discovering your passions and less energy trying to keep up. The older you get, the more you will learn that in the long run people care less about whether or not you are cool and more about whether or not you made them feel seen.

May you always know you are worthy and deserving of love—the decent and respectful kind. Hang on, though, because there’s a reason people describe it as “falling” in love. It can be fast and feel out of control. But, true love will also make you feel grounded and stable. It can be both at the same time.

May you always recognize your beauty comes from a place of intrinsic value and not from exterior attributions. Your face is just your face; it will change with age, but your true beauty goes way beyond skin deep.

May you always know the sky is the limit; your potential is endless; ceilings were made to break. When you hit a wall, I hope you will find a way over it, around it, or bulldoze right through it. But, also discover what is worth fighting for and when moving on is the better choice.

May you always know your family loves you—no matter what. We are your biggest fans. Even when you think we are cringy, our love will still run deep. Our love will never give up. Our love will never run out. Even when. Even if. Even always.

May you always know being 13-years-old is awesome, but the best is yet to come.

May you always know the day you were born you were loved more than life itself.

In closing,

May you always know you are enough.

More than enough!

Love,
Mom