Dear Daughters,
I had plans to sit down with a cup of tea and write to you yesterday, but an unexpected vet visit with Angus followed by a pretty substantial headache derailed my plans. So, this is this week’s Things I Want My Daughters to Know Thursday post—on a Friday.
As you know, last weekend I went to the March for Our Lives rally on Boston Common. It is the second time in a year I have marched for something I believe in (the other time was the Women’s March). I don’t want to get into the politics behind why I march or why I feel the need to be an activist right now—this post is not about that. What I do want to talk about is belief systems and standing up for the things you are passionate about.
You are both empathetic, loving humans and you care about many things like animal rescue, bullying, cancer treatment/prevention, and gender equality. But, your causes haven’t yet spoken to you in a way that makes you want to mobilize and take action. That will come.
Unfortunately, what will also likely come is the resistance you will be met with when you stand up for something you believe in. When you find your causes—when you find an injustice you want to stand up against, when you find something worthwhile that you want to rally FOR—don’t let anything or anyone stand in your way. Don’t let anyone threaten you, shame you, or bully you into silence or submission! Don’t let anyone tell you your voice doesn’t matter because you are young. Don’t let anyone minimize your feelings. That is called OPPRESSION and it’s what the spineless, fearful, and close-minded do when they feel threatened.
I was really inspired and humbled by the March for Our Lives youth. They are organized, they are articulate, they are an intersectional gathering of powerful young voices that will not sit idly by while more children get shot in schools. They are change personified! People will tell you that your generation is lazy, pampered, soft, entitled…I call bullshit on that a hundred times over. Your generation is the change we have been waiting for—a predominantly tolerant, inclusive, articulate, intelligent, hard-working, determined, self-aware generation of vibrant, colorful humanity!
Daughters, whenever you feel that calling to rise up and be a part of something that is bigger than you, whenever you feel that stirring in your souls and that elevation of your voices, heed the calling! And don’t be shy to support others who are already doing the work.
Your generation is comprised of change-makers and the vision-questers. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to walk beside you, and all of the kids like you, while you go out to actively create the kind of world you want to live in. The world is a better place with your generation in it.
All my love,
Mom
