For a while I was unhappy with your choices. Now I realize, because of you, I am me. So, love your imperfections. Love what you hate. Love yourself with the abundance you love others. You don’t feel it, but you are strong and beautiful.
Strong because you try, fight, push and pull. That, darling, is beauty. I know it doesn’t make the disappointments sweeter or hardships easier. But I am grateful for the difficulties you encountered; today they are my superpowers.
You are a fierce stilt walker, but not forever. Turns out, lessons we learned walking on those stilts are rules to practice in life.
- Don’t be afraid to fall.
It’s scary but inevitable. Fall, breathe, re-group, continue. It’s not as hard as it looks to get up. You simply do. People fear falling, so they don’t move forward. Don’t be that person. - Balance.
Without balance you can’t walk on stilts. Without balance you can’t live. Focus on your core. Center yourself from inside not out. Balance. - Reach out to people.
From the height of stilts don’t forget that the best way to interact is to lean into people. That is your job and will turn into your best asset.
Sounds like I am teaching you, but, alas, you have taught me. So, in your searching and frustration, take a moment to be content. You are exactly where you should be. Doing what you should be doing.
Let joy be more than sorrow. Get better not bitter. Be kind to the ones who are most unkind. That’s how they will change.
And, yes, the best is yet to come.
Naomi Ackerman is a writer, performer and founding Executive Director of the Advot Project. www.theadvotproject.org
