A Letter for baby Callie
Taken when I was probably like, one and a half.
Oh it’s so good to see you, you’re even brighter than I remember.
They always said you had a wild imagination. A little story weaver, dashing between worlds and characters, creating the tallest tale ever to be witnessed, a symphony of grandiose that made those stories almost feel like magic. The worlds you can visit are that of such adventure and excitement. And that is something you deserve to always keep. One of the things they don’t tell you about growing up is there are so many made up rules and stories we continue to tell each other that are so poorly written they cause nothing but fear. And if there is one thing I know about you is you do.not. Like horror movies. And when you have no choice but to choose which part you need to play in the big facade of it all, you will feel like you need to fit yourself into a box of expectations that is far too small to contain all the parts of you. And you learn the villains in all those stories you love so much and the evils you fight in your dreams are indeed real–they just take the form of other humans who are so desperate for their inner child to be loved they throw the biggest tantrums you could ever imagine. And they are the bullies, the ones who found value in one of the things that we made up in this world. Our worth is not defined by an imaginary dollar we have been taught to chase. Our worth is defined by the very real existence we get to experience as this bright, beautiful, creative and boundless person we always dream of being.
Who you are matters, what you like matters, how you feel matters. You will be taught certain beliefs that are not yours to hold and they might make you feel wrong, feel like the depths of your goodness is too much. But if there is one thing I know for certain is you have always deserved to be love in the same ways you are capable of loving. And my love, being able to feel in such extremes is both a blessing and a curse. The hurt you were made to feel was never your burden to bear, it’s not your fault your generational trauma comes in the form of such deep depths of hurt sometimes light cannot reach far enough. But it is both a blessing and a curse to feel so deeply–but how lucky you are to feel so deeply and imagine so vividly and concoct potions of such power you cannot help but attract all you could ever dream of. Continue to lean into the passion, lean into the adventure, lean into the deep want of incredible quakes. All those big feelings that swell in your stomach are your superpower, and we both know we’ve always wanted to have a super power.
It will be scary and you will have to be brave. But if the bravest heroes in the best kinds of stories can face their greatest fears, so can you. When it becomes too much, it’s ok to pick the part you know you can play. But do remember you deserve to choose to be you–in fact it’s usually more fun when you get to place yourself in the life you are living.
Remember to find the perfect music to fit the moment, follow your curiosities (our Gemini sun keeps us trekking) and follow your heart when it comes to what story you want to tell next. You always have a great one up your sleeve, who I am is proof of that.
Love you to the stars and back (which is infinitely because the universe is probably a donut shape or something). I cannot wait to see what we get up to next.
You’re a superstar baby,
Your Future
