This might be the most important letter you ever read.
Dearheart,
As you fell into bed exhausted last night, I heard you breathe that familiar refrain, “Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will do better. Life is so hard….” a tear slipped out of your eye as you lay quietly waiting for sleep to come and yet wishing it wouldn’t.
I longed to brush that lonely tear off your cheek and tell you how amazing you really are.
I saw you curl instinctively into a tiny ball, closing yourself to the pain, trying desperately to hold yourself together. “Don’t break. You can do better….” you both encouraged and admonished yourself as you reflected on your impatience from the day. The unkind words, the harsh tone, the angry look, the extra cookies, the mountain of tasks left undone “Why is it so hard to be who I want to be? Who I really am?” Several more tears leaked onto your pillow.
You tried so hard today. You’re not perfect. I wish you would stop expecting perfection from yourself. You are just right.
Angrily you turned, fighting the feelings of inadequacy. Wishing desperately for a break, for something or someone to rescue you from your life, from yourself.
How I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. You are so beautiful.
All day long, you pushed aside the whispers in your head pointing out your many failings, but now in the stillness of the night, they rush like a parade through your mind, larger than life, condemning you to a helpless existence.
Your silent tears flowed freely now, “I will never be enough.” you sobbed softly, making sure not to wake anyone in your quiet household.
You are enough. You are everything you need to be. I ache to wrap strong arms around you and whisper this over and over into your tired soul.
Feeling entirely alone in your inadequacy with nowhere to run, eventually, you drift into that mysterious place between slumber and wakefulness. Your eyes continued to drip occasionally and I heard you sigh softly as you began to surrender to sleep.
This is the place where truth awakens and I am honored to breathe strength and life back into your beautiful being, giving you the strength to tackle tomorrow once again.
Listen well, my dear one.
You are the strongest woman I know. You get back up over and over again. Strength isn’t about doing everything right. True strength is not backing down from the life set before you. Oh, I know you want to back down, so many times. I see it in your face. I hear it in your weary voice. I feel it as you hold yourself in the fetal position inside while continuing your tasks as if everything is fine. And sometimes you do take a break, or give up for a little while, but then before I know it, there you are back in the game again.Trying. Trying and trying so hard.
I am so incredibly proud of you. No matter what comes at you, all the troubles, all the pain, there you are fighting and struggling to do your best. You fight some days to just get out of bed and stand up. On those days, where you feel the most defeated, I am especially proud of you.
I never asked you to be perfect! My heart breaks when I see you hating yourself for not being enough. YOU ARE ENOUGH! You are everything you need to be!
I see your strength.
Life is not about winning.
Life is about growing and trying and trying again. When you fall flat on your face, you get up again. That is strength. When you fail over and over but you refuse to give up. That is strength. When your heart is broken, again, and yet you choose to offer love or forgiveness. That is strength. When you recognize it’s time to walk away from a bad situation. That is strength.
I see your great courage.
Courage is not being unafraid. Courage is walking forward even when you are terrified. Courage is not backing down when your family needs you. Courage is waking up in the morning when you are afraid the pain of your losses might actually steal your very breath.
Your worth is not measured by your success but rather by your heart. And your heart is good. Though battered, broken and weary, you face life squarely, not giving up, at least not for long. No matter the end result, knowing you tried your best is the mark of greatness.
As you sleep, feel me stroking your forehead and erasing the lies from your thoughts. Hear my whispers, You are strong. You are enough. You are just right.
I sense you finally relax in the magnitude of my powerful embrace and know I have fulfilled my nightly mission.
It is my dream that you will begin to carry my truth with you all day long. But for now, dear one.
You are loved. You are strong. You are amazing. You are beautiful. And. YOU ARE ENOUGH.
I love you more than you can ever imagine.
Your Inner Truth
Stop! Pause! Now you need to scroll back to the top, and read your letter again. This time, remove any cynicism and doubt. Read it out loud and soak in the truth. Print it out and read it every day, until you finally start to believe it is really true.
