Dear Annabelle,

It's safe to say that I look up to you. I look up to the woman I want to become and whether you read this five minutes from now, a few weeks, a couple years... I know that you are not the same girl that wrote this. With every moment, you grow, maybe not taller, but you grow in strength, heart, and mind.

I don't like my current self — I beat myself up a lot. I know that you beat yourself up too. Remember to look back to where you came from, no matter how circumstances change, because whether you notice it or not, you ARE moving forward, you ARE improving. I know you are because you wouldn't be you otherwise.

You feel different sometimes and that okay. I struggled with that a lot recently, but I look forward to the future me — to you — and hope that you have learned to accept that and not to let your differences define you. Your identity is not found in the things you have done or the thing you have accomplished. Your identity is not found in the things you spend your time doing or the people you hang out with. All of those things change. Your identity is found in the one that created you for His love for you is eternal and will NEVER change.

I look forward to becoming you - I look forward to being a more graceful, loving, elegant, and influential me. Though the road might be rough sometimes (there are always challenges), don't ever forget that I believe in you. I believe you can change the world.

Love fearlessly,
Annabelle
October 2015