To my elementary school graduate:

YOU DID IT!

And to me:

I did it too!

But not like you.

YOU.

You tackled six years of elementary school

- covid disrupting half of 'em-

with the kind of

positive energy,

joy and zest,

focus,

hard work

and adaptability

that educators pray for.

That moms pray for.

And, me,

I tackled six years of you in elementary school with anxiety filling my being but fully believing in you.

We both made our share of mistakes.

Usually on your math tests.

But also,

in where and on what we placed importance.

Thank God for your dad, who would always steady me and remind me that as long as

you were

respectful,

hardworking,

driven,

compassionate,

kind,

and happy,

THAT NOTHING ELSE MATTERED.

And who would tell you that YOU MATTER.

Not your grades.

Not any awards.

Not a single score on a single test.

Though my very bright one,

you did get great grades every year of school,

and today,

you capped it off with an honor roll award at your fifth-grade graduation.

My girl,

innately,

you are already everything you are capable of being.

And you are everything a teacher would want in their classroom,

and you are every gosh darn thing AND MORE that I wanna be.

That all humans should be.

But God chose you,

to be this light that you are to a world getting darker and crazier by the minute.

And every minute with you in this world makes it better.

Every minute I'm with you, I feel and am better.

Graduating fifth grade isn't a small thing, and not a single small person in any sense of the word got their diploma today.

Every child that advanced to middle school today will advance our world,
and without a doubt,

the lot of 'em will change it…for the better.

Daughter,

I'm not the best with my delivery of feelings in person, and I often fumble where I should make a completion.

But not today.

Not this mom.

Not as I give due praise to the overachieving, under-self-recognizing, stellar young woman of a human you are.

Today and all days to come, I will make sure you know how much you are loved and how incredible you are.

Kid

— soon to be teenager —

you've taken on eleven years on this sometimes wacky Earth with

an optimistic attitude,

an open-minded outlook,

bravery,

patience,

and a humbleness you don't often see.

And now, sweet girl, you're ready to take on the world.

And,

my beautiful girl,

this world is prepared to take on you.

Take you on so many adventures, you won't even believe it.

Just promise this:

that you'll always remember

who you are,

whose you are

that you are adored and cherised and valued AND THAT YOU MATTER...

every second,

of every minute,

of every hour,

of every day.

Congratulations!