Mia

Today we celebrate her birthday. She is 15 now and in her culture she has passed over to womanhood. She said goodnight and shut her door only to emerge tomorrow morning as a woman. The #Quinceanera celebration is the most significant time of her life according to Guatemalan tradition and beliefs.

She is not much for pomp and circumstance and is opting for no grand celebration, just a quiet night home eating pizza and donuts with family. This is (at the heart) who she is and was from our first meeting. I'm supposed to tell her all the things mothers tell their daughters when they begin to expand their wings - but lucky or unlucky for you - I'm not an average mother- I think way too much and use way too many words - but, perfect for you even though you act as if I'm not. We get each other in a way that surpasses language just like the morning I met you on the couch in Guatemala. Your noises were telling me that we were perfect for each other and my gawd! - you were so right.

(I tried as best I could to show a piece of your essence in this little video)

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/71ec55_ffdd853296dd4da49a6386bf25ab9b1a/480p/mp4/file.mp4

When I think of what I would like you and your sister to take into your adulthood it would be the following:

1. Be honest with yourself and stay close to others that are honest with themselves. There is a reason Shakespeare said "to thine own self be true". If you aren't honest with yourself, nothing else in life matters.

2. Never allow your value to be outsourced through the opinion of someone else.

3. Seek to understand not only the shadows of the people you love, but more importantly how they meet those dark spots in their life, because we all have them. - you will come to find out it's much more important than the light.

4. Never seek money - instead seek meaning. If pulling weeds makes your soul come alive - then pull away, my love! Be the best weed puller alive. As Joseph Campbell said "follow your bliss and the universe will conspire to meet you." I wholeheartedly will do whatever I can to make the road as clear as possible.

5. Be kind. Always. Under All Circumstances. Always.

6. See the spirituality in the animal kingdom. They are majestic - and part of a large tapestry. My greatest angst from my time on earth is the complete and utter systematic abuse that occurs every single day. Give your voice to the vulnerable.

7. Be honest with the ways you escape life - whether it's food, alcohol, sex - get curious as to what/why you are avoiding and lean into it like you are cradling a baby. Reasons we escape only survive in the dark. If they are kept secret they will grow progressively more powerful in your life.

8. Make sure if someone or something feels like "home", it's reflecting the good healthy aspects of home. So often we repeat patterns in jobs, friends, partners without realizing it feels familiar - that doesn't always translate to it being the best for us.

9. Seek to believe in something greater than yourself. Life can be very hard at times and faith can bring you places you didn't know existed.

Two tickets to a new life with lots and lots of love

Lastly, it has been nothing short of an honor to share this life you, You truly are magical, my love. You are a gifted creator of so many things and carry the softest heart in all the land. I write this blog so you have this long after I'm gone and know I'm alway here.

Keep being a sparkly unicorn.

Love, Mom and your biggest fan.

xoxo