A letter to myself

I’ve neglected you recently.

I think you might not know just how much you mean to me.

So I thought I’d tell you.

Where do I begin? Every step of the way, every moment of my existence, you were there for me. When I needed to breathe, you took a breath. When I needed to run, you moved my legs forward. When I wanted a hug, you opened your arms and gave one. You and I have danced and run and walked all over this little patch of earth we grew up in. Thank you. Thank you for holding me up and keeping me going.

When I was sick and feeling all out of sorts, you nourished me. You gave me good food, you listened to my cries and tears, and you gave me cup after cup after cup of water. You laid me down to rest. You brought me to listening ears and tender hearts. You held me close to yourself.

When I have been confused, you have counseled me. You have researched and found assistance to answer my quandaries. You have composed answers and sought out greater answers and been open to transformation. You have put all of your faculties at my disposal, for my sake.

You make so many people happy, joyful, exuberant. You make so many people feel loved.

And I am one of those people. I am one of those people that you inspire and uplift and enjoy. As I stop to think about it, I am pretty sure that I should really be encouraged by your very existence.

It’s a joy to be your friend.

Have I ever told you that? I enjoy you. I think you’re a cool cat.

You inspire me sometimes, so much,  that I just want to cry. You have fought through some very difficult things, and you kept going. You faced hurt and rejection and loss and you were brave enough to choose to face it and understand it and accept it and then move through it to greater love and greater joy than ever before.

You have chosen to embrace joy. That is inspiring. That is incredible, in this world that so often settles for darkness for fear that it will eventually overcome the light.

I am grateful to you for facing up to and casting out the lies that you have been told, because I need to know that they aren’t true.

I am so grateful to you for choosing to live. You have chosen to love, everyday. You have chosen to give because people deserve and need love, everyday.

And you know what?

So do you.

You mean the world to me. And there is only one you in the whole wide world.

Thanks for being you.

I think you might not know just how much you mean to me.

I think that all this time you have spent worrying and wondering what impression you have made on other people, you really were searching for my opinion, for my gratitude – to know that you are the most important person in my life.

Well, let me tell you, you are.

You really, really are.

I am so incredibly grateful for you. I am not at all surprised that anyone else is grateful to you, too.

You are a gift. To everyone, in this world and out of it, but first of all, most importantly of all, to me.

You are more than enough for me.

I love you and I always will.