My daughter, I watched you stand in front of the mirror, turning your body left and right. Your skirt was too big and your top on backward. Your bright blue eyeshadow reached your eyebrows and bold red blush went up to your ears. You didn’t care.

I watched you marvel at your body, feeling completely at ease in your skin. You turned and admired yourself with pride. You don’t see imperfections. You don’t see things you are lacking. You see goodness. You see strength.

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I’m envious of how you view your body. You view it with pride. With pleasure. You are unencumbered by opinions other than your own. You like what you see.

I know the world is going to try to rip that from you. They are going to tell you you aren’t enough. You aren’t strong enough. Tall enough. Curvy enough. Thin enough. Smart enough.

Or they will tell you you are too much. Too tall. Too curvy. Too smart. Too quiet. Too loud. Too much.

You will look in the mirror and look at yourself with criticism and wariness. Your proclamation of “I’m enough!” will turn to a question, “I’m enough?”

At the moment I took this photo—the photo of you examining yourself with bold pride and love—your entire body screams “I’m enough!” Proud. Beautiful. Strong. It’s not centered. It’s out of focus. It’s of your back so you can’t even see your face.
But to me it’s perfect.

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My girl, I will help you fight the need to be anything other than who you are. I will try to protect your heart as your body changes into something you might not understand . . . or like.

You will choose a path I’ve never walked. And I will walk beside you to remind you to be as brave and fearless as you are now. I will defend your choice to be completely you.

Because the world needs you. The world needs you to hold on to who you are, your self-love and admiration. The world needs your gifts, your smile, your heart. The world needs you, just as you are. Please don’t forget.

I’m so glad I took the photo.