A Letter to My Girls

To My Beautiful and Sweet Daughter,

When I was in high school, a song came out that has touched a place in my soul in a way I’m not exactly sure how to convey.  I wanted that song for me.  I wanted that song for you, even back then before I knew you.  I wanted the deep, soul-stabilizing roots that the song spoke about.  I wanted the lifetime of history and memories and smells and tastes from a particular location that would be so deep in your soul, no matter where you were in the world, a certain smell could buckle your knees with all the memories or the taste of something could transport you back to a childhood moment in time.  The song spoke into existence things that would help ground a person in the storms of life and the uncertainty that is growing up.  I wanted that for you.

So here, for you, my beloved child, is part of my deepest desires for you- only part of your song because remember, this song is only the background music to part of who you are, only one track in the soundtrack of your life.  I am miserable at rhyming and this will not be able to be put to the music of the original, but I think you’ll get the picture, because I love you more than words, and you know that.

If I live to be a hundred, and see only my Seven Wonders

That’ll be alright. 

If I don’t make it to the big leagues

If I never get published, never sing in front of millions, never stand to receive my medal

I’m gonna be just fine

Cause I know exactly who I am

I am GG’s great-granddaughter

The spitting image of my mother

And when the day is done my mamma and daddy are my biggest fans

Sometimes I’m clueless, I’m clumsy, and I don’t exactly understand all the social contexts because I’m a star in a circle or square or triangle world

But I’ve got friends that love me

And they know just where I stand

It’s all a part of me

And that’s who I am

So when I make a big mistake

When I fall flat on my face

I know I’ll be alright

When my tender heart gets broken in this vast, big world with its injustices, cruelties and idiotic boys

I will cry those teardrops knowin’

I will be just fine

Cause nothing changes who I am

I am GG’s great-granddaughter,

I come from a long and glorious line of women who have tried with all their might to not just survive but thrive as best they can

I’m the spitting image of my mother

And when the day is done my Father is my biggest fan.

Sometimes, I’m awkward and don’t understand because I’m exactly what my passport says

But I’ve got friends that love me and understand my need to swim on Christmas, my yearning for Rooibos or my occasional slip of accent 

And they know where I stand.

It’s all a part of me

And that’s who I am.