A Letter to my Daughter

In honour of International Womens Day 2020, these are my words and my wishes for the little woman in my life!
To my dearest daughter,
How difficult it is to remember a time when you were not mine. You are the reason I wake up in the morning and the reason I sleep (or don’t sleep!) at night.

You are growing so fast and it is almost impossible to believe just four years ago you were still a tiny baby. And here you are now, my big girl. So grown up and independent. You make me so proud with your kindness. You light up my life with your wit and humour. You make me smile with your funny faces and grown up mannerisms! When you put your arms around me and hold me tight, I wish that time would stand still so I can absorb every detail. When you laugh it touches my heart and makes it want to dance.

You tire me out every day with your energy and noise; and every night as you wake and insist you must come into my bed! But I would not have it any other way.

You have made me a better person. I have learnt patience, I have learnt acceptance and I have learnt how to love so dearly that I think I might burst. You have taught me how to have fun, and how to let go, and how to push myself outside my comfort zone. I owe so much to you.

My absolute superstar. You are so loving and brave, so caring and funny. But you are also loud, strong willed and often impatient. You are not perfect. No-one is. And that is ok. Each of these things make you who you are, make you unique and can, when channelled, can become your strengths.

You break my heart every time you cry. I would do anything in my power to take away your pains and struggles, but I know that each tear only makes you braver and stronger.

What do I wish for you? To grow up in a world where you have the chance to be whatever you truly wish to be. That you have the confidence, and the support to challenge your wildest dreams, and to become even more. To have the same chances as those standing by your side, and for you to have the strength and the courage to take those chances and face those challenges. To dream to dizzying heights, knowing that your determination, hard work and talent can get you there. To know that you are loved, unconditionally; that you are cherished and adored. To give you the belief in yourself that you can fly, and the knowledge that if you fall, we will always catch you.

An equal world is an enabled world. I will do what I can to know that we are creating a world with true equal opportunities and that you will never be held by back just by being a woman. I will celebrate your achievements and help you to learn from your mistakes. There will be mistakes, and I promise will help you to thrive through these lessons.

If I could give you one thing, it would be strength; strength of mind, strength of will and strength of character.

My darling girl, go shine like the sun