Dear You, You Are Not A Number.

Dear Little Sisters,
Dear Future Daughters,
Dear Younger Me,
     I wish there was a way I  could keep you from seeing the ads on television. From seeing the front covers of magazines in the check-out lane at the grocery store. I wish you never hear the word "diet" or "weight loss". And even more than that, I hope you never associate those words with "worthy".
I hope you never look at the label on the back of your juice box or granola bar and ruminate on the numbers you see. I hope you never get introduced to photoshop and that you know that most of those Instagram pictures are so very, very fake. I hope you never go for a run thinking the whole time of how much weight you can lose. I hope you never feel like you are unloved. I hope you never have to question whether or not you have friends or if they really care about you.  And I pray to God above that you never reach a point where you look in the mirror and don't like what you see. Or don't recognize what appears in the reflection. I hope you never fall to your knees in tears because you can't stand what's staring back at you.

Of calories counted
Of calories consumed
Of calories worked off
Of pounds weighed
Of pounds lost
Of the size on a tag
Of test scores
Of price tags
Of friends made
Of friends lost
Of likes
Of comments
Of miles ran
Of dollars earned

Please know this: You are so much more than a number.

     You are made of your smile. And you are made of the laughter that rolls across the room when you are filled with joy. You are made of the hugs you give to others and the hugs you receive when others offer them to you. You are made of the helping hand you provide to those who need a lift, be it physical, or emotional or spiritual. You are made of the love you share to those who love you and even more so to the love you share to those who very much do not. You are made of the kind words you speak. The service you provide. The charity you show. You are made of the rights and beliefs and values you stand up for. And you are made of the rights and beliefs, and values that maybe you carry in silent confidence within your heart. You are made of the books you love to read, and could read over and over again. The movies you watch. You are made of the music you listen to that makes your head bounce and your soul fill with with emotion. You are made of the lessons you have learned through trials and struggles and stupid mistakes. And you are made of the wisdom you share.
You are a fiery heart and a wicked brain.
Don't let your soul be defined a number.

Much love,
Someone who's been there

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