Dear Future Son or Daughter,

There is so much for you to learn in life, whether it be from personal experiences, school, or other people, and when you come to face them, take it all in. Learn from it and remember the experience to allow yourself to grow as a person. There is nothing more important than to be able to learn from your mistakes and experiences. Your brain is always hungry. Love to feed it and do it daily.

Be kind. Put others first and yourself second. Kindness sometimes goes unpaid but it is the feeling of doing something good that is the best reward anyone could ask for. I am not going to lie to you, being nice can allow people to take advantage of you; but, you will know when to break those bonds and find people who appreciate you and give back to you as much as you give to them. Just because someone isn't kind doesn't mean for you to fight fire with fire. Trust me, I am still learning this for myself. Kindness will take you so far in life.

Love is universal. Anyone can give it or receive it. No matter the race, the gender, the religion or any other difference, love is universal. Don't neglect anyone who is different, for they are the same as you. Love the friends you have, your family, and any other person who is important to you.

Heartbreaks are okay. You may or may not have several different relationships. But if your heart gets broken, know that things happen for a reason and that God still has someone out there for you. He gives you those relationships to learn who you are and what you want for yourself. However, don't look at them in a negative light, look at it as a learning experience and at all of the great times you had with that person. Think about how he/she helped you get to where you are in your life. You liked/loved them at one point so don't look back at the negatives as being negatives. Look at how it made you grow as an individual.

Be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and you will always be happy. Just the slightest bit of negativity will taint your outlook on things. The only thing negativity will do for you is bring you down. You are able to achieve great things and you need positive people around you to help you get there.

Don't ever settle. This is my life motto and I hope for you to live by it as well. Settling will lead to being unhappy and a world full of regret. Work hard to get where you want to be. If you get tired don't give up and settle for second best. You are worth so much and if anyone tells you different; work ten times harder to prove them wrong.

Finish what you start. Whether it be a job, project, or anything else. If you start something finish it and finish it with your all. Don't half-ass anything either. Nothing looks better than when you put your all in something because people will notice. If you are working on something and you get frustrated, walk a way for a few moments, gain your composure, and get back to work.

Trust. Trust me, your father, siblings, and God. Always trust. Don't bottle things up because you feel you have no one. The people that are in your life are there for a reason. We are here for you to come to in a time of need and also for the good times. No matter what it is, talk to me. I won't judge the decisions you make but only guide you to the best solutions. God will do the same. Talk to him frequently and put your trust in him. WE are your safety net. WE will catch you when you fall. WE love you with everything we have. So trust us.

My only hope for you is to take all of this advice and apply it to life. I hope to have a strong, trustworthy relationship with you as I do with my parents.

Love,

Your Mom