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the beginning of a new journey

tomorrow my oldest girls start kindergarten.

they will venture off into the world of formal education and begin a very special journey. along with learning about letters and numbers and other incredibly important basic concepts, they will begin to learn about the resilience of their character and the strength of their work ethic.

i attempted to share small pieces of advice as they picked out their dresses and started filling their backpacks. as they grabbed their snacks and helped make their signs, i continued to talk about the important things. my advice fell into 4 main categories.

for my girls, as they start kindergarten....

1. be kind.

personally, i feel that being nice is not that hard. it does not take too much commitment. it can last a few seconds and it is sometimes, simply, a sweet gesture at face value. you should be nice, of course, and you should always aim to be polite and make a good impression. but kindness requires a deep heartfelt choice. kindness demands action. kindness asks you to look at the entire scenario and the individual and sometimes kindness will require the hard thing. kindness extends beyond just one nice interaction and, instead, it is about truly investing your time and effort into someone else's life when it is most beneficial. it is about stepping away from the majority to reach out to the one person who is in need. it is about being honest, even when it is difficult, when you know that it will benefit the person with whom you share the truth. kindness is a fruit of the spirit, and it is a lifestyle.

2.  be confident.

remember that you are chosen and special and valued. you have a beauty that is unique, and it flows from the inside out. even if you have to stand alone, but you are sure of your stance, then stand tall and stand proud. no one's words should ever make you doubt your worth or your abilities. you will do great things because of who you are and whose you are. so be confident in your strengths and in the idea that you can overcome obstacles. you are going to succeed in whatever capacity you choose; be confident in that.

3. be a hard worker.

it seems that learning comes naturally to you so far. and i do love watching you learn through different methods and in different subjects. i will admit that there is a sense of pride when i watch you grasp a concept quickly or identify states on our map or memorize facts. but i know that it won't always be that way, and it cannot be that way. there will be times where you will struggle with a concept or an assignment, and you may even question why it is hard for you when it is easy for others. do not even take time to look around and ask that. always put forth your best effort, even when it is more difficult than you would like. trust that hard work is a necessary part of learning and growing and succeeding. please don't try to take the easy way out, and work hard to be proud of whatever you put your name on.

4.  be a joy and a light.

this is innately who you are. this has been my prayer for you since you were born, and it will continue to be well after you have accomplished your dreams.  i hope that you will always be able to shine Love in the dark places and that teachers, classmates, and others who cross your path will smile when they see you and when they speak with you. the world needs girls like you. the world needs people like you. you have a special quality about you, and i want you to embrace that. joy gives people a reason to hope and it reminds them of the good in life. light helps give direction and it illuminates so that we can see our path and step out of the darkness.

so step into this new journey, girls. you have much to learn and much to offer.

whether it is your first day of kindergarten or a graduation years from now, always know that mama is your biggest supporter and i believe in you.

i am so grateful that i get to see what you give to the world.



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