My Mom's Letter to my 14 Year Old Daughter

My mom posted this on my daughter's facebook page.  So beautiful, I thought it deserved its own space on my blog.  

Dear Arianna,
I love seeing your pictures and watching you grow. You’re like a Monarch. A butterfly can only hide in its cocoon for so long. I’m watching you immerge and color the world with your beauty.
I was thinking about when I was 14 years old. Now that I am a “senior”, I reflect back and remember things about that time in my life. If I could write a letter to my 14 year old self—I’d have a lot to say. I thought I’d share a few things with you.
When I was 14, my face was covered in freckles...like yours! If I could go back, I’d never try to cover them up. I know now, they were beautiful. Freckles are a sign of youth so I hope you treasure yours.

That's me, your Nana, on the right!

When I was 14, me and my cousins went down to the creek to swing on the muscadine vine. Muscadines were sweet and their vines grew on the trees by the creek. They looked like grapes. I couldn’t wait to swing across. I ran ahead of my cousins and grabbed the vine first and as I sailed across, it snapped and I fell. If I could talk to my 14 year old self I would tell me: “Wait your turn.”

When I was 14 my mom bought me ugly brown shoes. It’s all I had to wear. If could write a letter to me, at 14, I’d say “Don’t worry. They were ugly but, they were comfortable and that’s what mom wanted for me. Comfort.” I should’ve been more thankful. But you don’t know these things when you’re 14.
When I was 14, I tried not to smile very much. We didn’t have braces back then and I didn’t have the best teeth. If I could talk to me, at 14, I’d tell myself to smile anyway because now, all these years later, I know smiling...makes my eyes twinkle. I wouldn’t worry about my teeth if I could do it over again– I’d just smile….REALLY big. I had a lot to smile about.
Looking back, I think my opinion mattered more to my friends than I realized. I should’ve spoke up more. I should’ve been more confident in my convictions. They would’ve listened to me. But I didn’t know then, what I know now. Your thoughts are important. Don’t be afraid to share them.
When I was 14, they voted for a “Halloween Queen” at school. You had to pay a penny to vote. There were lots of pretty girls who wanted to be the Queen and all my friends said they were going to vote for me. That day, they all brought as many pennies as they could find. As they were tallying up the vote, another girl’s dad brought in so many pennies...he had them used to vote for his daughter and I lost to her. I was so sad, I cried. I wish I could go back to that moment. I’d take myself by my shoulders and shake me! I’d tell my 14 year old self that titles in life are meaningless. True friends are the real prize and I was surrounded! I would’ve treasured those sweet friends who had sacrificed their last few pennies to see me happy. Cherish your friends Arianna. Don’t be so distracted by popularity contests. I pray that you can learn now, at 14, that the real blessings in life are living and breathing.
When I was 14, I talked a lot to my grandmother. Her name was Laura Bryant, my mom’s mom. I asked her what she was having for dinner one day and she told me “Hoover Gravy”. This sounded delicious to me. I thought it must be terribly good if it was named after a President. I told my mom that day that I’d like some Hoover Gravy. She laughed.
She explained to me that Hoover gravy was also called “Poor Man’s Gravy”. It was watered down and named after President Hoover who was in office during one of the worst depressions of our history.
So, I would tell my 14 year old self, like I would tell you, things may sound good, but before you convince yourself that you need it, ask your mother. ;)
I love you darling granddaughter. Smile big, wait your turn, count your blessings, speak your mind, ask your mama and....wear comfortable shoes.
Nana Loves You.