Dear Risa,

You aren’t having the greatest time growing with yourself over the years, since there are so many growing pains. I know it’s easy to put yourself down, and tell yourself you’re not good enough. Your past and your brain will try to convince you of that.

But let me remind you of a little girl who at 9 years old became strong enough to carry the burden of her chronic illness. Let me remind you of the goofball that held the family together in rough times. Let me remind you of the girl who tried her best even when she was tired, who went to college and graduated. Who went to grad school and graduated. Who went to grad school again. None of that was easy, and the imposter syndrome is still rampant. But I love you because you kept going.

There is a large part of you convinced that you won’t be good enough even for yourself until you’re absolutely perfect. But the small and large successes along the way, they mean something. The joys you’ve found in helping (and feeding) others mean something. Let these things mean something to you, because I love you.

It’s ok if you don’t love yourself yet. You aren’t the best version of yourself, you aren’t where you want to be, and that’s ok. I will love you and I will be here beside you. You will cry, you will laugh, you will feel beaten down and almost willing to give up. But you never will, because I love you.

Things don’t just happen for a reason, but they happen, and we can handle and move past them. Have faith in yourself, in your future, in the fact that you deserve to be happy someday.

I love you darling ❤️