This is a letter to my daughters and I'm sure that they're laughing right now that I've quoted Lady Gaga, but honestly, to be yourself, is one of the most important things I can say to them!  With Sarah's upcoming wedding, I'm thinking about how the world will be for my girls as they are going out and making their own ways.  I'm feeling inspired to talk about some of the things that I've learned, especially over the past few years.

Dear Lauren, Rebecca and Sarah

This world can be hard for girls, it seems that the standards are different as well as the pay and the expectations of others, maybe especially in the South.  I refuse to believe that any of that can hold you back.  You can do anything you want to do if you believe that you can.  

No one has a perfect life, ever, and I have made many mistakes as a mother, but we all learn with age and experience, and sadly, nothing I can say to you will give you age and experience, only living does that.  I will still always want to give you advice, hoping that just a bit of what I have learned will affect your decisions or at least make you think.  I do believe that if you can hear one thing other than to "be yourself" it would be to never hold on to grudges.  I have learned the hard way that you can't get back wasted time.  Don't waste time holding grudges and holding on to the past when you can be happy.  Happiness is a choice!  Other people's actions never really have anything to do with you, even if it feels like it.  Don't let the words and actions of other people affect you!  True freedom is being able to stand strong in your happiness no matter what the people around you are doing.

Women are sometimes expected to be "perfect" and it is so easy to put that same expectation on yourself, but perfection is not achievable and trying to be perfect can keep you from recognizing and enjoying your accomplishments.  You are enough and sometimes you will fail, but failure just means that you've tried.  Keep trying and failing...that's how you learn.  Always find time for the things that make you feel happy and alive!  You are responsible for your own happiness.

There will be days when you feel like you aren't enough and failure seems final and hard.  I will always be that someone who will listen and I will always tell you to try again.  I am inspired by each of you constantly and so proud to be your mother!

You are all brave, smart and beautiful and completely "enough" and don't ever stop believing that!  I miss you all so much!

This letter is to my daughters, but I hope that I've inspired everyone, at every age, who reads this.  Thanks so much for reading today!  Have a great week!