To My Daughters

For my daughters,

I view and hear the world in 2 ways. How I can dance to it and how I can write about it. My life feels like it's divided into 2 parts. Before you and after you. Dancing was my before. Writing is my after. Yet, you are my everything. My life at any moment.

My before life, when I was your age, was filled with dance. Immersed, really. Soaked through. It was all consuming and I loved it. Even now, when I hear music, any music, I immediately think of how it could be transformed through dance. It's just automatic in my brain. It really happens without thinking.

Now, in this after life, my mom life, I see words. The movement of words and how they can shape the world. My focus feels fine-tuned to the way we live. I see you with sharp eyes and a mother's heart.

Every day, every moment, I look at you. And I wonder. What is your automatic way of thinking? How do you see the world and yourself? What thoughts come to you naturally, without any effort?

So, here is my every day prayer--For your mind to automatically know that you are a beautiful Daughter of God. That you are a gift. Every part of you. An extraordinary gift.

I want you to walk the halls at school armed with the power that you are loved and special. When you text your friends and listen to music and work on homework, I want the undercurrent layer of your life to be hope. And a knowledge that you are exactly as you should be. A rare and precious girl. A powerful and beautiful young woman.

Because I see you. All of you. And my mother eyes watch all that you do and the world you face. And when your mind wanders, when it takes in all that surrounds you, I want it to know that you're perfect. And you're mine. And also His. And everything else? All the other layers and hard stuff you walk through? That's just the extra. Nothing more. The fringe parts of living.

You are the air I breathe.
You are greater than anything I could have ever imagined.
You are my everything.

Take these words and fold them into your soul. So that you can always, always know whose you are and that your value is infinite. And carry them tight. Don't let anyone or anything nudge them away.

Hold fast to all that makes you so very unique.

And when you view the world, may you always and forever automatically know that you are the very best part of it. You hold the biggest parts of my heart.

Don't ever forget.