Saturday, March 7, 2009

Letter from Mama, v15



Happy 15mo. birthday, lil' dude!

Barack Obama was right when he said, it's time for a change. Because change is all you've done since your birthday three months ago. I am getting the hang of referring to you as a toddler now instead of a baby. You've changed how I view the world, how I appreciate the small things, how I process each day. You're speaking words and using your imagination and brushing your own teeth and walking down stairs holding onto the railing. You've changed Mama and Daddy and the ways we relate to each other. You've changed this place, here, where are hearts are.

I realize now I am always telling you to be ... be gentle, be calm, be careful, be quiet, be polite, be patient. I want you to know there are all sorts of other be's I want for you too ... be fearless, be kind, be driven, be sweet, be thoughtful, be resourceful, be friendly, be genuine, be appreciative, be yourself. I don't want to mandate who or what you become, but know I will always encourage you, nudging your little tushie on. Simply, be everything.

What I admire most about you now, as this small person, is your ability to go with the flow. That characteristic is so very important the bigger you get, the more you interact with the world around you. Right now, sweetheart, there is a lot of not-so nice things happening in this world. People are afraid, people are suffering, people's lives are changing. You have to remember that no matter how big your plan is, how stable you think your footing is, things can change in an instant. I want you to be prepared to go with the flow. Refuse to get caught up in the scary, unknowns and instead, adapt. Recognize your strengths in any situation and rise to the occasion.


Mama loves.

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