Dear You,

I’m just going to be honest and tell you that this is a love letter. Maybe it’s a little awkward or even slightly embarrassing, but you are worthy of this. You are loved and you need to know why.

I love you because you are kind, compassionate, sensitive and empathetic. You see people in need and wonder how you can make their days a little better. I love that you are so full of love and that you seriously want everyone to be happy.

But I also love you because you aren’t afraid to take some time for yourself. You realize how valuable and important you are, and that you can’t help someone else if you are already falling apart. When you’re nearing the ledge, you automatically take a step back. You are learning to say no, to relax, and to put yourself first. I love that some of your favorite “me time” activities include dancing, writing, and singing badly and loudly for hours on end.

I love you because you follow your heart. Even if your career won’t pay a lot, and even if it will be emotionally taxing on some days, you are determined to make a difference in the lives of others. I love you because you are smart, motivated, and ambitious. You decide what you want, and then you go for it. You aren’t afraid to work hard. In fact, you enjoy learning and searching for new ways to grow and expand your knowledge, and you know what? That is sexy.

I love you because you love to be silly. You know how to have fun. You’re willing to set your work aside when your little brother wants to build a fort for no other reason than his boredom, and that is so awesome of you. You don’t think it’s weird to spend time with your family, and you soak up all the time you can get with them.

I love you because you had your heart broken and you took the time to mend and heal yourself, putting the individual pieces back together one by one. When you were ready you put yourself out there again, and I know that took huge amounts of courage. But think of the endless possibilities: you have the ability to find a guy better than one you could have ever imagined. Someday, you will be obnoxiously in love with someone as silly and kind and compassionate as you are.

I love you becauseyou know what makes you happy, and you surround yourself with it. Country music, caramel frappuccinos, animal crackers, friends who love to laugh, crime shows, Disney movies, and Shakespeare. I love that you listen to classical music when you are in writing mode, especially Tchaikovsky and Mozart. I love that you aren’t afraid of trying out a new hairstyle or hair color. And I love that you experiment with your make-up as if your face is a canvas to repaint every morning.

I love you because you aren’t afraid of adventure. You aren’t afraid to take risks and try new things. You have huge amounts of faith in yourself that you won’t fail. And if you do fail, you know that you will be able to make it through.

I love your brown hair that isn’t curly or straight or wavy, but some weird combination of the three, and I love your brown eyes with specks of green or gold depending on the light. I love the strength you can see in your muscular legs, and the stretch marks on your chest show the beauty of your growing up. I love your soft skin, your few random freckles, and your oddly shaped eyebrows. I love your tiny ears, your crooked nose, and your long eyelashes. I love that you are learning to speak kind, gentle words to yourself.

I love that you are unraveling yourself, on a journey to find your core, the part of you that is the truest version of you. I love that you are taking this time to learn more about yourself -- that you recognize the importance of it, and that you have the courage to face it head-on.

But most of all, I love you for trying to love yourself.

Love,

Me