I am writing to you because you matter.

And I do not know as much about you as most, but I know a few things:

1. You are human

2. You are young

3. You are beautiful

Yet before I write another word I must preface, I am certain that I do not know your struggle. But I almost wish I did.

I want to understand so badly how a young, beautiful, educated human—as yourself—glowing with privilege, could ever allow for mental constraints, to hold you down. To hold you down from so much.

I want to guarantee you that whatever you are holding yourself prisoner for in your thoughts, is not worth it. You must let the pain the go. You are worth so goddamn much.

It is because you are human.

And to be human means that you’re alive. But I mean face it, you can either take yourself as a mere instance of humanity or you can see yourself for your potential. You were once an infant and now you are not. You can see yourself for your potential in such growth; the growth you are capable of by your very nature of being. Your human nature is really all I mean by that. It puts you in a body that looks a lot like the other people in the rest of the world, while you feel so different. It’s a tricky thing; human beings have the ability to sense things and each other. But our sensations that inform our perceptions will never entail any understanding of each other. So know that what makes you, you is that little voice in your head that is constantly confirming for you that you’re real, that the shows going on, and that well, you exist. But you can change their tone if they're not making you feel so good. You control your nature of being.

Not to mention, a nature of being that is so young.

Here you stand at the tip of adulthood. I am sure you have come to somewhat see this but your life will only really constitute one principal: and that will be change. So bask in it. Bask in the fact that all things are somewhat temporary. Bask in the fact that regardless of your name you have held many forms. What a fool would you be to not allow for your life to unfold only for you to experience more change than you already have. Change, past the young of age of what, 21? Greatness could await. And if you’re not a big fan of optimism--more of a realist, maybe just an average life is on the other side of this turmoil.

Never forget, however old you are, you are beautiful.

You see, I said already that I do not know you all that well and so I will not pretend to think the absolute highest of you. But there is something remarkably beautiful about you; you have a human mind that understands the world in your own way. So please put your face up to the world and smile. Allow for the sun to push you through the day and the moon to signal you for a break. Start with the easy things and then build to the hard. Take care of yourself. You have opportunity that many people will never have; this world is way too messed up for you to take too much pity in any horrible life, no matter how horrible, lived within walls in West Los Angeles.

It may be hard to get through 23, maybe even 24, but at 52, I am certain when you reflect on your current condition you’ll laugh. Because, you know you are worth so, so much.