by Angela Zimmerman
Right now, you’re only three years old. You are in the daybreak of your life. You’re all chubby cheeks and elbows, skinned knees and cat scratches.
But this won’t last for long. Soon, just like the moon, you will grow and change. You will become more of what you already are.
For now, time is a myth to you. You measure the days by snack times, TV show schedules and time-outs.
I measure the days by moments I won’t see again. Your cherub face sleeping in the sun. You painting your brother’s fingernails. The dog eating your food while you giggle like a banshee.
I also measure time by news clips of injustice and headlines of fear. Names of victims are my minutes, failures of our leaders are my hours.
And I’m afraid for you, daughter.
I fear that the world around you is not just unkind, but it is malicious. It is The Burning Times all over again, but this time, it’s broadcast live.
I can’t protect you forever, my love. And I don’t have all the answers to the questions you are going to face. I won’t be able to explain why things happen the way they do.
What I do have are these few pieces of advice:
Don’t be toxic in your sisterhoods. You are going to need them. Women working together and supporting each other will be your saving grace throughout life.
Love your friends. Tell them frequently. You’ll need to say it as much as they’ll need to hear it.
Remember, you are not a damsel in distress. You don’t need saving. Slay the damn dragon yourself.
You do not have to be anyone’s hero. It is not your mission in life to save anyone but yourself. Don’t let someone pin that on you.
Don’t compare yourself to others. This life is not a beauty contest. It’s more like a survivor series. You need to work as a team.
You will be too much for some people to swallow. Let them choke.
Do not make yourself weak to make someone else seem strong. You are not to be the foundation for someone’s ego.
With that being said, do not be strong for those that fake their weakness.
Trust your dreams and the signs you see. The Universe speaks in many ways.
There are vampires out there they will try to bleed you dry for nothing more than a laugh.
Drive a stake in their hearts before they do.
If someone complains that your fire burns too hot, let them sweat. Turn the heat up until they are silenced by your flames.
You will have wounds and you will have scars. They do not erase the divine being you are.
Water, dirt, fire. These three things can save you.
Submerge yourself in all three occasionally. Get dirty, let the salt of the sea dry in your hair, watch your sadness take light and burn.
Keep the old ways fresh in your heart. The magic you have has been passed down for generations. It will serve you well.
Even in the depths of solitude, you are not alone. Reach out to those that came before when you need guidance. They are always there.
Don’t let the need to fit in erase who you are. No one is worth dimming your shine.
The world is not fair. The world is not just. But you can be both. Always chose to be both.
The greatest relationship you will ever be in is the one with yourself. Fall in love with yourself. Practice self-care along with self-awareness.
You are a Goddess. Let me repeat that: YOU ARE A GODDESS. Remember that when the world tries to tell you different.
Fear is a liar. Don’t listen to it when it says you can’t or you shouldn’t.
Most importantly, stay wild. Keep your crazy laugh, keep your stubbornness, keep your crazy hair.
Be as wild as the blackberry bushes you eat from in summer. That wildness will be the thorns that protect you as well as the juice that makes you sweet.
You are a duality, my child. You are a microcosm of many splendid things. And that is the greatest thing you could ever be.
I won’t be here forever. But I will forever be on your side and in your corner. Be you, my young warrior woman, always be you.
IN CONCLUSION
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About the Author:
Angela Zimmerman is a stay at home witch, aspiring blogger, and mother of dragons anxiously living a domestic life. You can follow her wanderings at Conjure and Coffee.
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