My love, my beautiful precious daughter. You are a light to the world. Your graciousness & kindness shine out, and people always take notice of the wonderful girl willing to lend a hand, a hug, or a laugh. Creative, witty, and charming. Just a few of the words that can describe an indescribable girl.
As you get older, you're going to learn so many things in life. School, groups, friends..all of them will mold you & turn you into a productive member of society. How to add, spell, and dissect a frog. How to say the Girl Scout Pledge, tie a knot, and donate your time & resources to charity. How to be have awesome slumber parties & make your mom crazy with the phone bill..
Yet, for all of these lessons, there will be one you'll take all on your own. Who you are. Not what you can do, but who you, Hannah Linda Baird.....are. Friends, boys, parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, random strangers on the street. TV stars, musicians, magazine ads, commercials, they are all squeezing, pressing, turning, shifting & molding you mentally. They will tell you, both out loud and through subtleness what you should be, what you need to do to be you.
Our whole world is designed in a way that makes it so hard, as a girl, to thrive. There are so many rules, so many things you're supposed to do to go with the flow. You will feel judgement when you didn't even know you were supposed to be judged.
Hannah, I want you to know that you are truly and completely loved for you. Not for what I want you to be, but for who you already are. Unconditional love is rare, but a mother is one of the lucky few who is blessed with it.
Don't ever forget who you are. Examine your core. Keep it close to your heart. Never settle. Choose friends who share your morals and goals. Friends who are not only there for you when you stumble, but cheer you on, even if they wanted whatever it is you've gotten. Never let a boy dictate who you are. Don't change for them. Don't share yourself with any boy that doesn't totally and completely respect you. Be picky. Choose the ones who love who you are..who want to date you because they like you for you, not for something they think you are.
Respect your body. It's yours, not theirs. Keep yourself sacred, and don't cave to the peer pressures surrounding. I promise you, not everyone's doing it. Many are, that's true, but not all. Some say they are, but they're not. Some really are, and they're hurting inside. You'll be curious..you'll want to know, but you'll find out soon enough. You only get one 1st. One 1st boyfriend, one 1st hand holding.. and one 1st kiss. Only 1. Make sure, deep in your heart, that he is the one you want to remember these 1sts with. Because, you will. For the rest of your life, you will remember these things. You'll want to look back on them with true beautiful sentiment.
Respect your body. It's yours, not theirs. Keep yourself sacred, and don't cave to the peer pressures surrounding. I promise you, not everyone's doing it. Many are, that's true, but not all. Some say they are, but they're not. Some really are, and they're hurting inside. You'll be curious..you'll want to know, but you'll find out soon enough. You only get one 1st. One 1st boyfriend, one 1st hand holding.. and one 1st kiss. Only 1. Make sure, deep in your heart, that he is the one you want to remember these 1sts with. Because, you will. For the rest of your life, you will remember these things. You'll want to look back on them with true beautiful sentiment.
Never take yourself too seriously. This life is fleeting. There will be moments in life that you will want to take back. You will want to hide in your closet & pretend like it never happened. Don't. Hold your head up high, and walk in the light. I promise, whatever that bad thing was, it will pass. People will forget, and you will go on with your life. But learn from it. Take it, examine it, and choose how you would do things differently.
Love your life, your friends, your family, and your beliefs. Hold your morals above all else. I've told you before, but I always want you to remember.. You are an honorable person. You have your honor, hold it close to you, don't ever let it go. Once you've broken that bond of trust, it's not easy to glue it back together. It will take work. Lots of it. Some people won't want to go through all the work, but you need to. If you mess up, and you do break that trust, don't just throw in the towel..work for it! People are forgiving by nature, and if they aren't willing to forgive you, then it was for the best.
But, above all else, don't let the world mold you. You mold the world. Take it in your hands, shape it, twist it, turn in upside down, and be someone who, at the end of her life, is remembered for all the amazing & courageous things she did. Give to this life all that you can to make it better for all those around you.
Hannah Linda Baird, you were loved before you were born, and you will always...always be loved. I love you, my little chickadee, and don't let anything let you ever think otherwise.
Love,
Mom
Beautiful!
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