My loves,

We are living in a unique world. Although there has never been a time in which people were more accepting of other people’s skin, more accepting of who others love, more accepting of who others decide to worship, we unfortunately still exist with others who make you feel less than what you deserve. 

People who do not think about how their words or actions affect you. 

People who kick you when you’re down. 

People who do not bring out the best in you. 

People who label themselves as family but make you feel like an outsider. 

I won’t sugarcoat it – the world can be ugly and cruel and dark. 

But chin up, my loves. Because I promise to be part of the positive change, and I promise to teach you to do the same. 

I promise to tell those negative voices in your head to be quiet, even if they are drowning out the sounds around you. 

I promise to utter words of love and engage in acts of kindness whenever I can. 

I promise to lift you up in your weakest moments and on your saddest days, even if I am feeling down myself. 

I promise to help you see how beautiful you are, even in your flaws. 

I promise to always show you how you matter and how you are a gift to this earth, even when you do not see it yourself. 

I promise you that you will always have a seat at my table, because you are the reason I have a table to begin with. 

And now the most important part…

When you see a friend in pain, help them tell the negative voices in their head to be quiet.  

When you see a stranger crying, utter words of love and engage in acts of kindness. 

Lift up your family in their weakest moments and on their saddest days. 

Help others see how beautiful they are, even in their flaws. 

Every single person on this earth matters, because everyone was created by God. 

Everyone has a seat at the table, because God built the table Himself. 

Even when the world can be ugly, there is so much beauty in it. (If you can’t find it, create it!)

Even when the world is cruel, there is still so much kindness in it. (It starts small and it starts with YOU!)

Even in the darkness, there is still so much light. 

My loves, be the same light to the world that you are to my life. 

All my love always,

Mommy