To Marie: On Your First Day of First Grade

Dear Marie,

Today is your first day of first grade.  You’ve been wanting to go back for weeks now, and today is the day.  You are so excited that you have been making a fact book about London and Olympics for your teacher since watching everything Olympics (including past highlights from Beijing and Greece) was one of your favorite things this summer.

You are ready.

And you are going to rock.

To say you have a handle on reading and writing is an understatement.  Seriously, you could read, write, and create all day if I didn’t ask you to break for meals.

So here’s the thing –

Being smart and loving school is such an awesome thing, but don’t ever estimate the value of kindness.  You deserve to be around people who treat you kindly.  And on the flip side, remember the importance of practicing kindness to others.

Remember that girl who said she was your friend one day and then not the next?  Give her another chance this year.  People can change, especially if you haven’t seen them in a while.

But if she pulls these shenanigans again?  Give her the space she needs to figure out what being a true friend is all about.  You don’t deserve that kind of drama.  Ever.

Now, I can’t be there to whisper all these little things in your ear.  But in all honesty, you don’t really need me there because you, Marie, you have an amazing moral compass.  You know right from wrong.

But just keep this one very important point in mind: don’t be afraid to follow your instincts because you fear you might get in trouble or don’t want the attention.

Forget fear.  Just forget it.

Follow your gut, even if you must stand alone.  This is not easy, but let me be clear: fear will dim your light and hid the real you.

And the real you is far too beautiful to be hidden.

Let your light always shine.

 I love you forever,

Mommy