Dear Elisabeth…
Fifth Grade will be like none of your other school years. You, my dear Elisabeth, have changed. Your self-confidence has grown and you are shining. This inner sparkle comes from your security that Jesus loves you. It also comes from your love to imagine and create.
God’s love for you will never change; the creativity will be trickier.
There will be times that your gigantic imagination will feel like a burden. It’s easier for everyone around you if you keep your ideas small and follow their schedules.
You learned this lesson during the summer, when you had big plans to rearrange your room. Your ideas were as huge as your imagination (a new desk, teepees, a cozy book nook, and shelves for all your favorite treasures).
But as we tackled the project, reality set in and we had hard conversations about how much teepees from Pottery Barn actually cost. For one day, sweet Elisabeth, you were discouraged. You were mad at yourself for all these ideas and frustrated that your room wouldn’t turn out like you planned.
Then we talked about how your dream room was possible—just with different things. I sensed you needed my permission to keep creating, even though your original plan had changed, and I gave you just that.
The next day, you had even bigger plans to upcyclce random furniture we had around the house. This is when your resourcefulness became your true creativity. Thanks to that, you designed a room that you not only love but that is uniquely yours. It took most of the summer to finish, but you now have that book nook, those treasure-shelves, and the coolest study area.
In the future, you might feel like you need permission to try crazy ideas. Take this letter as your permission slip, straight from your mom.
I’m telling you that your gift of creativity is important. Never worry about making a mess or wasting time or following a different timeline. The best parts of your life will come from you asking, “What would happen if I tried this…?”
And so, precious girl, please know this: You don’t have to change the world (but you might). You don’t have to prove yourself (but you will). And you don’t need anyone’s permission (but you have mine).
Discover the magic inside your own imagination, dear Elisabeth. It is limitless.
So are you.
I will always be here, cheering you on….
Love,
Mommy
