Thank you for creating me this way

Recently, I came across a letter my daughter had written for a school assignment. It was addressed to God. The sweet innocence of her words touched my heart. After thanking God for various things, she ended her letter with these words – “Thank you for creating me this way”. This little line has stayed with me and shone like a sliver of light to reveal her heart. In her words, I saw that she likes herself and that she is happy with herself. These words also reflected her self-awareness, and in general, a very positive relationship with herself.

As simple as it sounds, these are no less than super powers; from my own experience I know how hard it is to truly like one’s own self. How free it must feel to not have the constant noise of self-doubt and criticism. How empowering to not have one’s identity relying on external factors like seeking approval from others. It is when one values oneself that one takes care of oneself. She is blessed to have this at a young age, and I hope and pray that it stays with her.

Reading her letter was one of those rare parenting moments when I felt rewarded for all the effort, and it felt like I must be doing something right. I gave myself a quick pat on the back.
While this gave me immense joy, it also brought my attention to how the rest of us were doing. What about my son? Does he feel the same way? While both are being raised in the same household, under the same guidance and conditions, their personalities couldn’t be more different. Though nurturing makes all the difference, can nature be completely ignored or overridden? As I reflected on my son’s emotional state, I realized that he doesn’t like himself as much, but also that it’s okay if he doesn’t. It just means his journey is different than hers. It means that he hasn’t discovered his worth yet. Now that I am acutely aware of it, I will support him in ways that will help him discover his self-worth.

As I worked out these questions about my son, I wondered about my own relationship with myself. Do I like or value myself? I have struggled with it and still do. I have been on this journey for a while now – the journey of discovering self-love – but how far along have I come? Every time I hear the voice of doubt and self-criticism in my head, I pause and choose to value myself more. It is not easy but my little girl’s words have inspired me anew to carry on and be grateful for all that I have, and even more grateful for all that I am.