To my daughter Gabi in honor of your 16th month, Women’s History Month.
From your lucky mom who is eternally grateful to the women who came before and made it possible for me to be a mother, a wife, a business owner and a self possessed woman all at the same time.
Dear Gabi,
I am just as new to being a mother as you are to being a daughter. Your job is to teach me how to be a mom, and my job is to first teach you how to be a girl, and later how to grant yourself the freedom to become the woman you want to be. You and Joan and Colter and Gavi and Garrett and Teddy and Elliott and all of your other baby friends are the next generation and I give you all a challenge I hope you find inspiring.
In your tiny hands lies great possibility. Take it.
Curl those sticky fingers around the world you’ve been given and know there is huge power in the steps you will take with your teeny, tiny feet. Go forth with the confidence of all of the women who came before you and know we believe in your capacity to take the baton and run like hell with it. Stay bossy and curious and joyful and observant and loud. Go after what you want with the same certainty of success as you do today. Keep clapping for yourself when you stand up or take a big step. Never stop kissing yourself in the mirror when you love your new hair bows.
And in the meantime, I’ll do the same.
Yours,
Mom
Originally published at medium.com