I do it every day you get out of the car for school. I watch you walk up to the building and can’t believe you’re half me. I wonder what your day will be like, and if I have prepared you enough for it. And I breathe a small prayer for you as you disappear into the school.
It’s a well known fact that middle school aged kids are cruel. And I wish I could make you understand that these 3 years are so small in the scope of your long life. You won’t remember half of it. I hope you remember all the fun you have, and not all the insecurities. I want you to know that those boys who tell you you aren’t athletic enough – they’ll be washed up by high school. Those girls who tell you, you aren’t cute enough – they’ll be kicking themselves at your high school reunion. Those teachers who might not have believed in you – they’ll stand corrected.
And the truth is, this is just preparation for the real world. Not everyone will like you, and think you’re as awesome as I do. But that is okay. It’s okay to be yourself. And don’t ever make any apologies for it. It’s cliche but you really can do whatever you put your mind to. Don’t let other’s words limit you. People can always make you feel like you aren’t good enough, because they don’t feel good enough.
I’ll always be behind you. That doesn’t mean I will make excuses for you. But I’ll do my best to guide you. Mistakes will be made. Disappointments will occur. But if you learn anything from me, I hope it is to learn from your mistakes and get back out on the field after one. I’m going to cram as much as I can into the next 5 years I have with you. You’ll tire of my wisdom, you’ll get annoyed with my hugs, but I hope you will always know how much I love you. You can roll your eyes and put in your earbuds, but you will always know I’m your biggest fan.
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