Dear Amazing Person,
Do you remember being little and the scariest thing was the monster under your bed? The years went by and the monsters left, and in a weird way, it’s easy to kind of miss those guys. You always wonder if maybe they were actually real and just wanted a friend or were watching over you, but you guess you’ll never know. Yet at a point, you eventually learned the real monsters are the ones you could encounter at school, on the streets, and even your home.
Do you remember learning to ride a bike for the first time: how you skinned your knees but threw yourself back on anyway? You were so courageous, but now it’s so hard to even fight for yourself. It’s so difficult to stand out, so you stay complacent about fitting in.
Do you remember that first crush: the one that made butterflies flutter inside your stomach? But now those butterflies are moths suffocating you with red flag after red flag.
As I sit here and ponder, I realize that somewhere between the monsters under the bed and first-time experiences, you grew up. Why did growing up mean losing your innocence, your glow?
So I’m writing this to remind you not to give up. Find out who your monsters are and face them. Don’t let the people around you control you or your emotions. Embrace who you are with love and light even if others think you’re weird. Being unique is what makes us so special. If you’re lost try new experiences to find what makes you happy. We don’t need copy-paste images of each other, because, at the end of the day, a box of the same colored crayons has never been exciting.
Crush those pesky moths and red flags. You know it’s time to let it go. You can love someone from a distance, but it doesn’t help you to stand in the fire because it’ll never turn to a cool breeze. You deserve the love and attention you give, and not a sliver less.
You must start embracing your own sparkles and treating yourself like you are important. And if no one has told you today, yesterday, or any day, you are so so important. Your life is worth more than the mysteries of the world and all the treasures combined. Appreciate yourself, love yourself, and grow. Be the person your 6,12, and 17-year-old self needs. Attack the world with kindness and never give up.
Sincerely,
Jeli