Dear You,

As you approach yet another new beginning full of excitement and uncertainty, I promise that I will have full faith in you and whatever opportunities you choose to pursue. I promise that I will not plague you with thoughts of inadequacy or compare your triumphs and failures to those of others. For far too long, I have allowed you to believe that you aren’t capable of pursuing your dreams, cultivating your passions and becoming the person you were created to become. This mindset has constricted you to a life of fear, and although the journey will be long, I promise that I am allowing you to slowly break free.

I promise that I will allow you to be vulnerable with yourself and the people who care about you. I promise that you’ll be so much happier when you break through the façade you’ve created for yourself and trust that the people who matter will love you no matter what. Living authentically will allow you to deepen your relationships and become a more compassionate human being. I promise to let you smile when your heart is full and cry when your heart is broken. I promise that I will not berate you for feeling your feelings.

I promise that I will not become so entangled in the stresses and demands of school that I ignore your physical, mental and spiritual health. I promise that I will allow you to take a generous amount of naps and consume generous amounts of coffee. These are staples of college living, so you might as well embrace them. I promise that I will take the time to wrap you in fuzzy socks and a warm blanket when it’s cold outside. I promise to allow you to snuggle up under the covers with a good book and sappy music when you’ve had a long day. I promise to let you come home when you need to get away. I promise that you deserve these things.

I promise to give you the strength you need to keep going -- especially when it’s 10 p.m. and you’re churning out a paper on what might seem like the most tedious topic to ever exist on this earth. I promise to challenge you to learn and grow from every assignment, no matter how arbitrary it might seem at the time. I promise to give you the courage to speak up in class discussions and to listen to perspectives that are different from yours with grace and humility. I promise to cherish the opportunity to expand your intellectual horizons, and I promise that I will give you the strength to take ample advantage of every opportunity that arises. You are strong, intelligent and capable -- and I know that you can handle anything that might come your way.

Although I will inevitably fail to give you the confidence and courage you need (and deserve), I promise that I will do my very best. This new beginning will present you with countless opportunities to find yourself and break out of your shell, and I promise that I will be with you every step of the way.

Love Always,

Me