Dear little me,

Did you know you would go to war? No, not with guns and not with swords, the mental kind most people ignore. Even though it’s in the mind it doesn’t mean there aren’t monsters of all kinds. Although physical weapons are useless in this domain, you’ll hold your kindness like a blade against them refusing to change. You’ll hold empathy like a shield for others, but truly for yourself, because other people’s pain is more palatable than your own. You’ll learn that boundaries are armor and can be worn with love. The people who matter most won’t question their shape or where they came from. In the midst of all this learning the people you love will betray you most, and you’ll betray them too. It’s part of being human, it’s part of what we do. It’s almost never intentional, although it feels that way. Every person on this earth has a battle and it hurts just the same. The thing I hope most is when you look at me, you’re proud of who we have become. I’ve been a people pleaser all my life but my most important target is you. The little girl that dreamt in songs, storybooks and poems. Reality is very far from our imagination but I’m starting to have pride in all the things that have happened.

Love,

23-year-old you