Heaven gave me you, dear daughter.

I promise to be the best role model for you that I can be.

I am not perfect, nor do I pretend to be. I’ve made mistakes in my past; I will continue to make mistakes. I promise I will not hide my past from you. I will be as honest as I can about the person I was, the person I am, and the person I hope to be.

RELATED: I’ll Tell My Children About the Sins of My Past—And God’s Redeeming Love

I promise to let you make your own mistakes and learn from them. I promise to show you how to use your talents to the best of your ability. To not just take care of those around you but to take care of yourself. To help when someone needs help, to love fearlessly and passionately. And to treat yourself with dignity and love yourself.

I promise to teach you to do what’s right even if no one is watching.

I promise to instill in you gratitude. To teach you to be grateful for what you have. By constantly wishing for more you will miss out on the gifts at your fingertips. Be content. Be present. Don’t focus your attention on what may or may not happen in the future.

I promise to help you notice the beauty of the world around you and to appreciate the simple things. The things that give depth and meaning to this life. It’s not the iPods and expensive clothes and new toys that will fulfill you. It’s the memories you make with the people you love that matter the most.

I promise you, dear daughter, that I will always be your biggest fan and your strongest supporter.

I promise to listen when you talk because if it’s important enough for you to say, it’s important enough for me to hear. I promise to show you every day how much I love you. I promise to remind you every day what a gift you are in this world and how lucky I am to have you as a daughter.

RELATED: Dear Daughter, Do Not Be Perfect

Daughter, Heaven gave me you, and it is a responsibility that carries with it the weight of eternity.

I will never stop considering it my most important job, and my most cherished privilege.

XOXO,
Mom

Originally published on the author’s blog

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Melissa Neeb

I'm a Minnesota native and lover of nature, WW2 memoirs, rescue dogs, photography, and thrifting. My husband and two teenagers are the great loves of my life. I am passionate about advocating for addiction recovery, writing about parenting, life, faith, and everything in between. 

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