Dear Kelse,

Still have to remind myself of this "lesson" every now and then

Letter to a little brown girl with skin the color somewhere in between toffee and coffee but not quite chocolate

Your soul is more beautiful than any video girls make up. Make up your mind with that resolution now and your life will be a lot easier come eighth grade. Don’t let the under and over development of your body cause you to lose your faith. You are more than your earthly shell and deserve far more than any boy calling you sexy babe so wait steadfastly for the man who will rack his brain trying to find a word to describe the beautiful music your soul makes when its praising its creator because that’s what attracts him to you.

Your imagination is unmatched

Curiosity - invaluable

And your heart is larger than the big hopes you had for humanity that you planned to make reality
Despite what your first grade teacher said

PLEASE don’t let your precious spirit start to wither up and self destruct at the age of five along with your parents marriage

HOLD ON to the tenets that you learned in bible school. Your faith was undeniable then. Sunday was your favorite occasion and you hugged Jesus every night after you said your prayers. Don’t let that falter just because time altered the way things used to be.

Remember that change is good for your soul. It keeps you fresh and on your toes. Learn to embrace it and face the music like a champ. Let God’s love forever be on the tip of your tongue so that every naysayer you come in contact with never be able to claim they never heard the word.

Embrace individuality, don’t let it take over your life so much what people think. Rebel but not against the wrong things. Righteousness is always the right choice.

Cherish your siblings. Though three out of four you don’t know very well they are still a blessing. because they have a firsthand understanding of the crap you go through. None of you can control which way your blood flows but it’s there and not changing so get used to it. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover some beautiful secrets on the way.

And please know God don’t make no junk but there are people out there who peddle it harder than men on Imperial tactlessly selling bootlegs. I warn you that everything that glitters aint gold and everything that sounds deep don’t got soul. Demons often don’t announce themselves loudly rather they leave subtle clues that can only be deciphered when you let God through. Make note of how it feels to have Him whispering to your spirit and be sure to always open yourself up to correction when you hear it.

Your stubbornness and hatred of injustice will come in handy one day. Don’t sell out to the dollar because it’s the thing to do. When you stay in God’s will, the blessings will follow you.

Smile. Often and hard. Not just in front of the camera. Real life deserves the opportunity to embrace the love that your upturned lips exude so don’t be stingy.

Friends. That is one topic that will deplete your tear ducts, add to your insomnia, and make you generally hate your big hearted nature. But at the end of the day, some will come along who make all the hell you go through a little worthwhile.

If you haven’t already figured it out. You like to talk. ALOT. That hasn’t changed. Your words are precious jewels. They’re not meant for everybody. Know when to spread the wealth and when to save them for later. It will save you a lot of drama.

In your lifetime you will come across many obstacles that challenge you to your core. People who hide venom behind their smile. Some carry their daggers in plain sight, others exhibit cowardice. I would say don’t stress over these situations but I know you will. Just make sure you learn something from the ignorance that makes you better.

Life is hard but in the end it is the most beautiful journey you could ever take and only you can live it.

I don’t have all the answers

Nor have I asked all the questions

But I have deduced a few things

And I wanted to hypocritically let you in on the wisdom that I know but don’t always apply.

Maybe if I give myself a head start I can correct some of the blemishes of transition.

But then again life can’t be photoshopped.

Or pre-rehearsed

The ignorance we are equipped with is a prerequisite for the lessons we have to learn

and dealing with the blemishes of life is what make the great moments shine so bright in our memory.

With that being said

Please disregard this letter

You’ll figure it all out soon enough

And will be glad I didn’t spoil the surprise

Sincerely,
Kelsey