The following is a guest post from momAgendaCOMM blogger Beth Anne Ballance.
Dear 16-year-old Beth Anne,
Oh darling, under those bright Friday night lights you smile and toss your ponytail and you don’t know it, but you are beautiful in the purest form. You feel too tall, and invisible, and too smart, and too stupid all at the same time. You worry about never being good enough and that the jeans in the drawer aren’t the right brand.
I know that on Homecoming night, you sit at home alone and cry, wondering if anyone will love you. There’s a black dress that you’ve owned for three years that sits in your closet and waits for that first dance, first date, first kiss. The truth is, you will never wear that dress.
On your first date, you will wear jeans, a black t-shirt and those uncomfy black clogs that you swear are comfortable (only because you convinced Momma to buy overpriced shoes). You will see a movie and kiss that boy a few weeks later and you will fall in love with him. For almost four years, you will pour your heart into that boy, sharing secrets and promising forever. But there’s a trick about sixteen and forever – reality doesn’t quite meet the heart. So he will be the perfect first boyfriend, but he won’t be the last boyfriend.
(Instead, you will meet a boy in a few years that will steal your heart with his blue eyes and forever will happen. This letter isn’t about him, but I figured you could use some really great news.)
Be proud of how you love history class and doodle on notebook paper. Write in your journal of hopes and dreams and relive that first kiss a million times while you fall asleep at night. Keep stuffed animals on bookshelves longer than the other girls. Write stories on Saturday night when everyone else is partying because those words that spill so easily are your gift.
So with the whole world ahead and endless possibilities – smile under those stadium lights and write stories in your head and fall madly in love.
You’re writing your future and it’s beautiful.
Love,
28 year-old Beth Anne
Beth Anne is a member of the Council of Media Moms at momAgenda. She’s a born and bred Southern Belle who blogs about motherhood at The Heir to Blair. You can also find her on Twitter.