An Open Letter To My Daughter

Luna, 

Hi, it’s Mom. I’m writing this publically to hold myself accountable, but it’s really just for you.

I promise not to take credit for your independence and intelligence. I did not teach you to crawl, eat, walk, or play. I’m only here to make sure there’s food on your tray and a soft place to land when you fall. 

You are my daughter but I do not have ownership over you, nor does anyone else. I promise to encourage you to be an individual by helping discover your passions, strengths, and weaknesses. To never assume you are a “mini-me” but to recognize who YOU are. I will stay curious about you and promise to support whoever you are without expectations. 

I promise to share my failures, tears, and heartbreak with you. To teach you that it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling and express yourself so long as your not inflicting hurt on others. 

I promise to teach you the importance of empathy and generosity through my own practice of both.

I promise to work on my patience – to teach you patience. 

I promise to help you understand that you can do and be anything, but not without hard work and sacrifice. You are smart, beautiful, and strong but that doesn’t make you better or more deserving than anyone.

I promise to teach you the value of honesty above all else. 

I promise to you show you that the world is so much bigger than us. That we are not the center of everything. That we are extremely privileged and it’s our responsibility to stay conscious and help others.

I promise to teach you the importance of caring for our planet.

I promise to continue our daily song and dance parties. To encourage you to use your imagination and play. To pay tension to what you love and engage in it with you. Unless it’s math, then you’ll have to talk to dad.

I promise to cook healthy meals but also – let’s go out for ice cream.

I promise that no topic is ever off-limits. Let’s just talk to each other about everything always, please.

I promise to be myself with you in public. To teach you that you don’t have to change for others, and you certainly don’t have to dim your light for any reason ever.

I love you to the moon and will always be here for you. I promise to continue working on myself and getting better so you can have the best version of me. 

Love forever and always, 

Mom