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| Photo credit: ATR Photos |
My Lottie,
And now you are 15. Not to be totally cliche, but I don't know how time has already brought us here. It truly feels like yesterday when you were born, and now you're begging to get your learner's permit. (And, by the way, that's not happening quite yet.) Now that you're heading into your middle-teens, I wanted to share some thoughts and advice with you.
I love that you can laugh at yourself: I hope you never lose that.
Read as many books as you can.
I will continue to ask if you just want to vent or if you want advice when you come to me with a problem.
I promise that I will do my best to be patient when you're learning to drive. Try to be more cautious than you think you need to be. I trust you; it's other people that scare me.
Have one outfit that makes you feel powerful and ready to take on the world.
When you find a really good friend, hold on. True friends are very rare. On the flip side, it's okay to cut people out of your life who constantly bring you down when they should be lifting you up. Life is too short for liars, cheaters, and bullies.
Keep your skin moisturized and wear sunscreen.
Don't share all of your life on social media. Taking pictures helps you savor the memories, but that doesn't mean the world needs to see them.
Travel as much as you can. I think that learning new things about other countries (or your own) can only help to enrich who you are.
Be a good tipper.
It's okay to say no if you don't want to do something.
Learn to enjoy your own company.
In the words of the fabulous Alexis Rose, "People aren't thinking about you the way you're thinking about you."
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, it probably is.
Don't be afraid to try new things or take risks because you're fearful of what Dad and I will think. You won't learn and grow without stepping out of your comfort zone. I promise that even though I will not always agree with your decisions, I will always, always love you.
I may not know where you'll end up or what you'll be doing in the future, but I know who are you are now from the inside out. I am so deeply proud of you.
All my love,
Mom
