Dear Catie (on your first day of middle school)…
Suddenly, here you are, at the tipping point between childhood and adolescence, right at the center of growing up.
The teenager-you is slowly emerging. You’re suddenly taller than some grown-ups, your wide brown eyes are pretty, in the way that will never need mascara. You can cook dinner, beat Daddy and me at trivia, and understand the jokes in a PG movie. No turning back now. Puberty is coming.
But what else will come with puberty–mood swings, bitterness, and self-loathing? According to Middle School lore, our family dinners will soon be filled with eye-rolling and earbuds. Growing up means becoming cynical, right?
I don’t think so. There’s something about you, Catie–a sweetness, an exuberance, a wonder about life. You seem immune to the pessimism that comes with puberty. Happy curiosity has always ruled you. You are simply in love with life, excited about everything from your little brother’s day in Kindergarten to the chance to work in the church nursery.
Sometimes I’m afraid your lack of cynicism also means you lack thick skin. What if you weren’t in a small, Christian school, a nurturing place where your classmates memorize Bible verses and teachers stop bullying? In a big middle school, would your effervescence stick out as weird? Will your huge smile seem too naive in the real world?
No. Believing that would be forgetting about the challenges you conquer every day. This summer you rocked swim team, sleepaway camp, and babysitting. You never doubted yourself. You never, ever complained. As one of your teachers said, “The more challenges you give Catie, the happier she is.” You do hard things, and you do them with a smile.
Your exuberance is powerful, Catie. It’s contagious. In a foggy world, you are a lightbarer. Your positive attitude might be rare, but the world needs it. Don’t lose it.
Catie, watching you grow up is one of my best gifts.
Thank you.
Love,
Mommy
