To My Future Daughter

Dear Future Daughter,

I love you.

You are the light of my life

and I will never abandon you. 

Nothing will stop me from protecting you. 

Understand that nothing in life comes easy.

You were not easy. 

You came into this world 

kicking and screaming the same way I did

and my mother before me. 

You come from a long line of strong women, baby girl.

You, I'm sure, will be no different. 

My mother taught me to be brave.

She taught me that a woman

is not what a man says she is.

A woman is what she says she is.

A woman is an athlete if she wants to be;

a CEO,

a doctor,

a lawyer,

a teacher,

a chef,

a mother. 

My mother is a brave woman,

two times the woman I am or ever will be. 

It seems that most daughters believe

they are not hallf the women their mothers are.

Baby girl, please believe me,

you are more woman than I am.

I will raise you to be exactly that. 

Baby girl, please believe me,

you are woman

and nothing is wrong with that. 

No matter what anyone tells you,

no matter what man breaks your heart,

whether that be your lover,

your classmate, 

your brother,

your father,

I will pick up the pieces

and make you whole again. 

So baby girl,

be brave.

Be bold.

Know that even when the whole world seems to be against you,

you are woman enough to challenge it.

You are woman enough to overcome any adversity. 

And in the moments that you feel powerless,

I feel that way often,

I will hold you to my chest and tell you,

"I love you.

You are the light of my life

and I will never abandon you. 

Nothing will stop me from protecting you."