To the child I was:

The fiercely defiant one, the objectively argumentative girl with whimsy in her thoughts—I loved you from your very first breath. I love the flaws you gathered like stones along your journey. Thank you for your bravery, your retaliation, and your relentless determination. I owe my life to the fortress you built, the walls you raised, and the foundation you laid. Your kicking, your screaming, and your sharp-witted tongue shaped the roots of my life. You defended your right to survive when the world felt too small, and without your drive to push forward, I wouldn’t be standing here today.

​To my teenage self:

Thank you for your questionable taste in music, your stubborn individuality, and your carefree nature. I am most grateful for your ability to find light in the center of a total eclipse—turning the darkest moments into the brightest nights. Thank you for talking to yourself when no one else would listen, grounding your own path. I forgive you for the times you listened to the wrong voices, but I honor you for the times you found your own. Your voice was as fearless as a lion; your strength was that of an ox. Thank you for masking the bruises in the deepest chambers of your heart so we could keep walking.

​To my troublesome twenties:

Thank you for your naivety—your stubborn decision to believe in people even when they gave you reasons not to. Thank you for carrying the life of another, for sacrificing small dreams for the greatest one of all: the title of Mother. You wore that crown like a queen, surviving on nothing yet living graciously. You traded pearls for the precious weight of a child’s arms around your neck—the most valuable gift I’ve ever received. Thank you for the friendships you forged and the grace with which you let go of those who weighed you down. Thank you for saying “yes” when your body screamed “no,” all to build a sanctuary for the two loves you held so securely.

​To my thirties—the season of rebirth:

In the midst of regrowth and broken hearts, you brought a new life into the world. Through the sleepless nights, the heavy presence of fear, and the endless search for answers, you stood firm. I am grateful that you allowed your body to change and stretch once more. Thank you for your courage to face adversity when the world suggested you shouldn’t. You didn’t just survive; you succeeded. I owe the elevation of my career to this chapter, and to my children, who made their own sacrifices to see me climb.

​To my forty-something self, and every day since:

Thank you. Thank you for finally breaking down. Thank you for crumbling and falling to your knees. It was in that failure of “sanity” that you allowed us to be reshaped once more. You redefined the future. You took the opportunity to breathe and finally let go of the hurt. My greatest gratitude to you is for not giving in—for continuing to speak up and being brave without having to “act” the part. You allowed the doors to open. You chose to be vulnerable rather than closed, loved rather than judged, and free rather than caged.

​To all of you:

I love every version of us for every setback, every drive, and every moment of survival. I thank you all by continuing to breathe deeply, by smiling authentically, and by laughing without condition. I will continue to care as freely as you taught me to.

~love Jen 🖤