My dearest;

be brave enough to claim life and the existence that is your birthright to have.

Be brave enough to grab it and hold it tightly as if it’s yours. Because, the truth is, they’ll try to take it away from you. In small ways, you’ll hardly notice they took it if you’re not paying attention. Be careful about everything, as much as you can.

Take up space in this world and don’t be sorry about it. Give yourself the permission to grow into your body and your divine existence. After all, it is yours to take. 

Build a map of your beautiful inner landscape and become an expert in navigating it. Do the work—every dirty, beautiful f*cking bit of it. After all, you are a woman. So take your time—it is the most valuable gift you can give to yourself. So, grow into it. Grow slow.

Pay attention to the patterns in nature and the ones within you. Do not forget that the same force that governs the turning of the seasons also flows within your divine body. 

Follow your feelings and chase your instincts. Don’t allow anyone to have enough power over you to make you doubt yourself. After all, you are a woman, and that is powerful. Believe in that and don’t let anyone take it from you.

Take your place, daughter. Plant your feet in the soil, turn your face to the stars and know that you belong here—with the earth, the whole cycle of birth and death, life and creation.

You are a part of it.

You are the whole of it.

You are essential.

In some way, that is more intricate and complex and simple than we can understand right now. It is you. A piece of the constellations is balanced on your crown. After all, daughter, you are a woman. 

Be brave, daughter. Be brave enough to know what you want out of life and brave enough to take it. And if you don’t know what you want, stop. Be loving enough to give yourself time to figure it out. Ask the big questions, be patient and generous if you don’t get the answers that you have anticipated.

Be gracious with yourself. Pay attention to your passions, to the things that excite you, move you, and piss you off. Concentrate on the dialogue in movies that brings tears to your young eyes and the injustices that ignite the righteous fire in your belly. There lies your power, your ability to fight, to heal, to influence the world around you—it all resides in your passion. 

Open yourself up to the world and to all of this existence. Be brave enough to open your beautiful and beating heart to it. Let your heart break a thousand times a day—not only with pain, but with aching love, too.

Let it break you and heal you.

Let it hold you and know that you belong amongst the waves and towering pines. Be brave enough to let it affect you. Don’t close yourself off to the divine experience of living. Dive into the depths of your existence on this Earth. There you will find inexplicable joy and moments of immense pain.

But, I tell you daughter, all of it is important. All of it is an invaluable piece of your remarkable existence. And do not forget to give thanks for the joyful, painful pleasure of being alive, and for being a woman. 

Close your eyes. Put a hand over your heart and a hand over your stomach. Put it over your belly, that has the power to create and sustain life. The belly that we too often call a curse, tease, judge, and resent. No, it is beautiful and infinitely more powerful than you know.

Don’t you see, the entirety of the cosmos exists within you. The fullness and grace of the cycle of nature exists within your divine body. You beautiful, powerful, wonderful thing. And when you forget that, look at the moon. Admire her beauty and learn from her patience. Know that your sacred being reflects her shining face. 

~