Dear Future Daughter,

I hope that one day this letter finds you in good health and surrounded by endless amounts of love. We have yet to meet but know that you will be one of the greatest blessings I have ever gotten in life. You are the pride and joy of your father's and my life. I want to start by telling you that there will never be a day that you go without feeling loved.

Remember that all of those struggles you face now will no longer matter in five years. I know it seems like the end of the world right now, but it takes a struggle to find your strength. Keep your head high. Your worst enemy will be the hours between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. This will be the time you feel completely defeated or completely remarkable. This is the time you have to cry, laugh and completely fall apart, and that’s OK. It is OK to feel pain—it helps to show you are alive. Breathe, my sweet girl, just breathe.

Please, I beg of you, love yourself. Don’t just say you love yourself, actually do it. Don’t ever think you need to be skinny or pretty to please someone. The word “pretty” is unworthy of you. You are worth more than five letters, you will be pretty creative, pretty amazing, pretty strong, but you will never ever just be “pretty." Be admired for your mind, not your body. Honesty and kindness should be your top priority, but that doesn’t mean that you are not firm in your beliefs or assertive of the things you want. Self-respect: don’t ever lose it, please.

Don’t ever change who you are to impress someone. Admit to your love for soccer or your passion for singing, but never change who you are to impress someone. Chances are, those people will leave shortly after, and all they will leave is a broken heart. You will stumble upon the boy or girl that makes your heart skip a beat and your stomach get butterflies. Your first kiss will seemingly be the most amazing thing to happen to you. However, never let them dull your sparkle. They are there to make you shine brighter, not lose the light you already have. A person who looks you in the eyes, makes you laugh and wants to meet your father and me is worth your wait. I can promise you that.

Your mental and physical health come first. School will always be there, but your well-being will not. Take care of yourself first. You are my top priority. If you feel too anxious to leave the house or too stressed because of something you have to do, close your eyes and take a nap. A letter on top of the page does not define your intelligence, nor the person you are inside. Your health and happiness, however, will. They are the most important. Please never find yourself searching for happiness at the bottom of an empty vodka bottle or a line on the bathroom sink. I am here for you—never forget that.

I want you to believe in the magic of love. Don’t be scared to fall in love. It’s OK to do that. Although I want you to find this magic, there is also no need to find it at the age of 16 or exactly in someone else. Find love in your passion, a trip to the makeup store, a vacation to the beach or nature. Even when you begin to think love isn’t real, these things will reassure you that it is.

If you ever feel that your world is slipping and the light at the end of the tunnel seems too far, hold on. I can and will tell you that, at your age, I found myself searching for happiness in places I never wanted to be. I hit rock bottom, but from there I swam to the top stronger than ever. Let me help you tread the waters you feel you are drowning in.

You are young, you will not always make the best or right decision, but that’s OK. In those occasions, I hope that you learn from the mistakes you made but also gloat in all right ones. All I can hope for is that I taught you to be the best that you can be. Please never lose your morals, know right from wrong and make each day valuable. If you ever feel that nothing is right anymore, tell me. We can eat ice cream, watch a movie or take an aimless adventure. I never want you to feel that you are alone.

Lastly, know I love you no matter what. Even though you slammed a door in my face or told me you hated me, I will continue to love you. You will grow up a stubborn and hard-headed, just like me, and sometimes all you will want is for me to go away. Just remember, I will always be your number one fan.

Be honest. Love unconditionally. Always smile. Laugh like there is no tomorrow. Discover your passion. Get lost in the black and white text that covers the pages of your favorite book. Eat dessert. Find yourself a happy place. Be the woman you want your son to marry, and most importantly, be happy. If the only thing you got out of this letter is that I will always love you, my sweet girl, then I did a good job.

Love always,

Mom