Daughter.
When you see the signs of depression closing in on you,
And you wish you were anywhere else but in your own skin,
Remember me.
And when you can’t get through to me,
Whenever we do not see eye-to-eye,
Know this:
You are loved and cherished.
You are beautifully perfect, no matter your imperfections
Know that you are the very breath of God and there is power in your stride.
My child, I may not understand that you are a different person,
Perhaps severing the umbilical chord was insufficient because you had me tied to your very being ever since the moment light first hit your eyes.
I may not realize that you have your own choices to make, your own story to tell and your own dreams to pursue…
but I have realized that you must be certain of this…
I will be worthy of you, to give you something that will inspire you.
I will live God’s standards, to show you there’s further to go.
I will seek out to know who you are to be, so I can guide you there.
I will love every bit of you, no matter how different we are
If I allow my human heart to rid my mind of this promise, remind me:
That my dreams are not yours.
that you have feelings that should be respected.
That you are a girl that can’t see past what is around you
And that you are a woman that knows more than I have told you.
I hope you are strong enough to stand up to me
I hope you are loving enough to overlook my mistakes
I hope you are wise enough to know how to manage my paranoia
I hope you learn that hope, even in the midst of fear is the choice to pursue happiness in spite of it.
Daughter,
When you see the signs of depression closing in on you, and you wish you were anywhere else but in your own skin,
I hope you forgive me.
And remember the choice to be happy.