Dear little seed, one day she’ll see
That she will become who she is meant to be
This is a letter to whom she once was
This is a letter to all the diamonds in the rough

When she was just a little seed
They asked her what she wanted to be
She sat in silence, she didn’t know what to say
Her life was just starting, she still had such a long way

A moment went by, the other seeds were sown
And she was starting to do things on her own
Among the other seeds, she tried to be
And I watched from afar waiting patiently

People began to marvel at what the others became
While she just stayed in the same place
More time went by, many seeds sprouted
Except for her, she feared she’d been forgotten

They merrily went on their way
Off to greater gardens to find their own space
Some became roses and daisies as beautiful as can be
And then I looked back at our lonely seed

She remained alone in her tiny pot
She became the seed that everyone forgot
She started to sprout, yet no one saw
But I was there to see it all

The sun beat upon her leaves so green
She was the strangest “flower” you’ve ever seen
Months have gone by, there were still no blooms
She won’t be entering the garden with the others anytime soon

She was just a plant, she didn’t know who she was
She knew that she’d never be good enough
She had no beautiful colors, just plain leaves
Maybe she was just a waste of a seed?

A year went by, her leaves remained green
But this mysterious plant finally had a change of scene
Into a beautiful greenhouse where the sun was her guide
It kept her warm, gave her light, and love it provided

She grew and grew, but for my eyes only
A beautiful yellow flower from the seed that was lonely
She welcomed the rain and the morning dew
She welcomed bees and butterflies too

This is the story of the seed who’d never be
This little seed used to be me
Many didn’t understand me, neither did I
I thought I’d never be enough no matter how hard I try

I’ve seen others bloom, and into their own gardens they went
But there was nothing wrong with me, my time had not come yet
My flowers took longer, but my leaves remained green
It was God secretly working behind the scenes

Now that I’ve bloomed, I can finally see
That I am part of a story written just for me
My life looked like nothing worth putting on paper
When in reality, I just haven’t found my way yet

Although I can recognize my own colors now
Sometimes my thoughts still get lost in the crowd
Comparison truly is the thief of joy
But this garden in life is for all of us to enjoy

As flowers, we continue to bloom and grow
We were meant to do more than just go with the flow
There’s a place in the garden made just for you
To be just who you are, and to do what you do

Others may bloom faster than you
But keep watering your soil, God’s not through
Underneath is something made with love
And you, my flower, are more than enough

Another year for the books
Many trips into the unknown
What a long journey this has been
But I didn’t go through it alone

My body is no longer my prison
But a shell that I must keep
With reconstructions here and there
It has become the home for me

I walked through a garden of roses
I walked through the streets of L.A.
Spotted “New Flowers” in cracks on the ground
They brightened even the darkest of days

Some of the flowers have withered
Dead leaves fell in their place
I’ve found new joy in bare branches
For everything has its time and place

The seasons don’t change where I live
But I change with every step as I grow
Everything is here for a moment
I welcome, I love, I let go

What will I take away from this year?
It’s hard to choose just one
Each moment was a puzzle piece
Crafted by God’s love

Open doors led to friendship
A fellowship as well
You took a plane, I took the train
And we created stories to tell

This year was a garden of memories
I’ve planted the seeds that you sent me
The kindest gesture in the form of a gift
But the greatest gift of all is your friendship

Thank you for your warm hugs
Thank you for your prayers
Thank you for all you’ve blessed me with
And always being there

As I took a trip down memory lane
I thought I’d write you a letter
It’s a letter in your memory
One I’ll carry with me forever

It was Valentine’s Day 2011
The story of your new life begins
I wandered through the shelter aisles
I was looking for a special friend

Several people passed you by
And at first, I did too
But you wouldn’t stop crying in your cage
Begging me to pick you

I remember your big hazel eyes
And your gigantic ears
And the big red bow tied around your neck
And how your face was stained with tears

I knew from that moment you were the one
And you were the one every day after
You were sick and you were scared
But you still managed to bring me laughter

Those few years went by so fast
They were almost a blur to me
We went to the park, you learned new tricks
And sometimes you struggled to breathe

Your heart slowly began to give way
But you still put up a fight
Every moment was a precious gift
During your final year of life

But the time had come, you could fight no more
I tried everything to keep you alive
It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done
But I had to say goodbye

An empty basket sat in the car beside me
The night I left the vet’s
I only had your collar in my hand
And I came home to your empty bed

I miss you every day of my life
But there are days I miss you more
You were my very first baby boy
The one I loved and adored

But you are not suffering anymore
You are running wild and free
Over the rainbow bridge
And watching over me

Okay, maybe you’re not really watching me
It’s just my silly dreams
I’ve been holding onto your memory
Since September 2019

You looked back for a moment
It was time for you to fly
Over the rainbow bridge
Our final goodbye

You could’ve been anyone’s dog
But I’m so glad that you were mine
I’ll miss you forever
My Valentine

Yes, I’ll miss you forever
Eight years just wasn’t enough time

Another year down this road
In many ways I’ve grown
Spontaneity, once my greatest fear
A trip into the unknown

I’ll stop seeing my body as a prison
A cage that I can’t escape
For this “prison” has fought many fights
And is still fighting until this day

I’ll view the world with a little less fear
And give open doors a chance
Tomorrow isn’t promised
So I’ll make every moment last

I’ll tend to my own garden
Watering the field in which I lay
No more searching for greener pastures
Just staying in my lane

The spring will bring new flowers
The weeds may still arise
I’ll nip all problems in the bud
I’ll no longer keep them inside

I’ll be a better person
I’ll learn from my mistakes
I’m not as lost as I once was
Maybe this year I will find my way

We are shackled by insecurities
Followers and likes make up our worth
External validation is what we seek
It’s a never-ending curse

But I was looking in the wrong places
The answers are found deep within
So I’m reintroducing myself to me
And so this new journey begins

Hello, it’s nice to meet you
I’ve longed for a best friend
I decided to become the things I need
No longer living a life of pretend

I tell myself I’m worthy
And validation starts with me
I no longer need to look elsewhere
I’m exactly where I need to be

I was born to be successful
I was born to share my gifts
I was born to give love to this world
I was born to build and uplift

I am worthy because I’m loving
I am worthy because I care
I am worthy and uniquely created
Hand-crafted with so much to share

You are worthy when you wake up
You are worthy when the sun sets
You are worthy and I love you
In case no one has told you that yet

Hello there,

I’ve always been painfully shy. I swore that I’d never approach anyone, and that I’d never let anyone know how I feel because being mysterious was my safety blanket. It was my safety blanket for many years, but soon I began to realize that it was also my shackle; a personal prison.

In order to set myself free, I had to allow myself to be uncomfortable.

But one day I did it.

I missed him. I thought about him daily. I worried about him. I needed to let him know how I feel.

The moment the words left my heart and mind and made their way to him, I felt overcome with anxiety and relief.

We grow when we leave our comfort zone, but we also battle thoughts from the enemy. Sometimes we are the enemy. But those thoughts in your head are just words. Words have power. They can either build you or break you. You have the power to choose what they will do to you.

He told me I made his day, but little did he know that he made mine even more.

Never underestimate the power of words, the power of a simple action.

It was that moment that constantly reminded me how important it is to let people know how much you care about them. The feeling of regret is much worse than my fears of the unknown. Never again will I cower from opportunities to share what’s in my heart.

And please friend, don’t let your fears shackle you as well. The greatest opportunities started out with a simple action. May that simple action of yours take place today.

Love, Cherie.

Dear Cherie of the past,

This is a letter from your future self; let’s call me “Future Cherie.” I wanted to let you know that I admire your strength, perseverance, and the fact that you kept moving forward even when you had no idea where you were going. If it wasn’t for your determination, I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to you. As you are reading this, I know that you and I are in different places in our lives. Right now you aren’t sure if you’d be set free from the burdens that have shackled you for so long. But please, keep thinking about me. I am here to keep you going.

Please don’t look back and wonder why you didn’t take these leaps of faith sooner. Looking back will only hinder you from moving forward. The right time to start is now, as you read this. I know that people keep pressuring you to get married and to start a family because they think that your clock is ticking, but don’t listen to them. We all have our own paths and purposes in our lives. Yours might look unconventional to others but trust me, you know what you are doing. You always have. Don’t just do things for the sake of it. Good things take time.

I am a huge believer of divine timing. There is no need to regret. If you open your eyes and ears and learn to discern God’s voice from the voices of this world, you will realize that life doesn’t always have to be as complicated as we make it. I say this over and over: trust the process. I know that you are still learning. Please stop leaning on your own understanding, it is causing unnecessary stress.

I’m telling you right now that I am living the life you dreamed of. It’s not impossible. It just seems impossible to you right now because you are shackled by fear of the unknown. But there is beauty in the unknown. Soon you will take that leap, and you will never look back.

As you are reading this, your heart is healing from the person who gained your trust and betrayed you. I know you prayed that he would be the one for you. Everything seemed right, but believe me he is not the one. You just need to take off those rose-colored lenses that you were wearing for too long. The man that I love right now was worth the wait, and I can’t wait for you to meet him. He has been praying for someone like you, you just don’t know it yet.

This journey that you are on right now, is a journey of self-love. It’s a scary one, but this is the most crucial chapter of your life. I look back at it often and I am so grateful for everything. I am grateful for the pain, the heartache, the uncertainty. Everything happens for a reason, and it prepared me for all of the unexpected blessings to come. It’s time you stop hiding, and show everybody the person you were designed to be. You are not here for yourself, you are here for something far greater than you, and always remember that.

I hope you are smiling as you are reading this letter. I smile every day. I look back and wish that I had taken time to really be present and enjoy the simple moments in life instead of always thinking that I should be somewhere else. We often take precious moments for granted. I am so lucky to have an amazing journey to look back on. I’m so lucky to be able to write this letter and have you read it, because not many people get that chance.

Don’t look back and wish that you had taken time to be present and enjoy the simple moments of life. Don’t think that you should be somewhere else. Believe me when I say that you are exactly where you need to be right now. Don’t spend time trying to make sense of everything. Everything will fall into place. Trust the process. I’m so glad that I did.

Please read this letter every day. It’s a daily reminder. One day you will write a letter to your past self too!

Love Future Cherie.