Wednesday, January 09, 2008

girlicious booty queen

girlicious booty queen

i was so touched by fiwa's post that i was compelled to take her up on the letter challenge of my writing to my thirteen-year old self. if you feel so inclined, take the challenge yourself.

before i write, i have been thinking too much again and this time it is about the hits and misses of blogging. i don't think that what i have to write is deemed worthy for anyone to read, but it is the process and as one of those rubber stamps say 'it is not the destination, but the journey.' so, say an amen with me and let's bump hips.

to blog on a public forum rather than a private forum is a tad bit scary. it opens up your thoughtreadership to your neighbors, coworkers & colleagues and down to the XYZs. but seriously what good is opening up and exploring if you don't, uh, open up and explore? yeah, you put yourself out there with a chance of judgment but i am going to take the chance.

dear 13yearold dawn,

i am writing to you on the other side of where you are now and by the way, you are the age that your daughter is now. before i break into this letter, if you ever get a chance to take a chillpill. do it whenever you get a bloody chance. lighten up. you don't have to carry the weight of the world or your family on your shoulders. you are only thirteen.

you are weathering your parent's recent divorce and life as a teenage girl just fine. keep telling yourself that you are just a kid. it is okay to be a kid and not have the responsibilities of an adult. don't dig yourself in too much or you are going to have a hard time digging yourself back out. junior high can suck, but your experience will benefit you later.

okay, a few things you need to remember:

1) i only wish that you could see how different beauty and nerdiness is embraced now. it would give you courage & belief in yourself at thirteen and the courage to rock it and celebrate it instead of getting a complex.

2) it is okay to let your little light shine. you don't have to snuff it out to avoid all of the good stuff. you are worthy and deserve it.

3) lateblooming is wonderful. by the way, 2008 is going to be a good year for you. you don't want to peak in junior high or high school or, hell, even college. blooming in your 40s rocks. you are a freak, but a good little latebloomin' freak.

4) if someone judges you, don't carry that judgment in your heart for years. doing that makes their problem your problem. your problems then turn around to be someone else's. you don't need the extra burden or to pass it on. it doesn't burn any extra calories or anything of value. it just burns a hole in your heart.

5) when you meet the love of your life, jump into it like you will, but don't lose your identity in the process. save your core for yourself. you two are going to have three beautiful freakilicious children and all of the sacrifices will be worth it. you are going to learn a lot in the faraway year of 2007.

6) when you have those babies, sign up for an epidural as soon as you can and eat all of the holiday italian cookies at court street bakery in brooklyn that you possibly can. eat each one like it is your last cuz you will move and not get one for a long time.

7) hug all of those friends in los angeles and brooklyn hard cuz you won't see them for a long time. let the cadence of traffic and the sounds of the city imprint on your soul so you can replay them. when you five are swinging together at prospect park, hold that memory so you can replay it over and over. store up the good times. while your arms are open, keep them open to embrace all of the new friends that come into your life.

8) if someone doesn't love you, it is their loss. when God shuts a door, start making some kickass curtains for the window that He will open. learn to let the burdens roll off your back. you don't have to store them for good measure.

9) believe that you can do anything if you put your back and booty into it.

10) work on forgiveness now. you might just be forgiven later.

stop reading this letter and go have fun. remember not to underlive life. learn now how to rock it like a rockstar.

oh, don't even think about tanning with johnson's baby oil and iodine in the bottle. what will you be thinking?

xoxox to you, you fragile freak...
you on the other side


if you are new to this blog and/or lurk, please introduce yourself. i would love to meet you. add a question for the bloggityprize. the drawing is on friday morning.

20 comments:

Diane said...

o, d, if we only knew what it would be like here! Latebloomingness and all ROCKS doesn't it? we talked a little 'bout it, but my parents divorced when i was 13 also! it was the toughest time for me.
i loved reading your letter. maybe i will write one too, but mine won't be as elegantly written as yours, as you are the queen of the blog pen!

Brown Bee Studio said...

Oh, Dawn.......=o]

fiwa said...

"i don't think that what i have to write is deemed worthy for anyone to read" The hell you say! I have tears from reading your letter. Not worthy my ass. I just want to know, why are we girls programmed to try to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders at such a young age?

Love you, you late blooming freak, you.

Cheryl said...

I left college early because I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I agree with Fiwa...is it programmed into us girls?

I loved your letter. I don't think I could do as well. Maybe I need the future me to write a letter to the present me.

Keep putting it out there...OK?

Unknown said...

I've posted but never really introduced myself. Hi! I'm Amy the lurker who does get up and dance when you post the videos. And what is this now? I love it. Dancing at my laptop. Happy Wednesday.

Unknown said...

Hmm.. not sure what I was hearing ~ but it was "can I get a little bit of L-O-V-E..."

Anonymous said...

Brilliant.
The best news of all is that you have passed this juicy and valuable wisdom to the Child-Freak-Triad (and I mean that in the BEST way) and now there are 3 kids that actually LIVE this message. Wow.
As for the Lurkers: take Dawn's message to Heart and USE YOUR VOICE for cryin' out loud!

Thanks for the courage, Dawn-Babe. You are a SuperHero.
ooxx
Lisa H.

Marilyn said...

All I can say is that your letter should be mandatory reading for all 13 yrs olds, PLUS be plastered on the front door of every middle school !!

This letter is incredible, just like its author.

Marilyn

Alison Gibbs said...

Way to go Dawn.
fantastic letter.
Alison

Anonymous said...

Can I just say you rock! Kudos for you for being so brave to put it out there for all of us to be inspired. Please don't stop writing how and what you write. There are people that you don't even know you are helping.

Gin said...

Dawn, that was a tear-jerker. We all seem to have all that weight on our shoulders...I'll question it along with Cheryl...is it our lot in life?

I still don't have the nerve to write that letter today but I'm mentally working on it. I will. Someday soon.

Good vibes.

Gin, with tears rollin'

Sweet Remembrance said...

Dawn...You freakin rock!

MJFredrick said...

:::sniff:::

And LOL about the baby oil ;)

That picture is awesome, too!

Amysatx said...

Wow.....just wow...Your writing is amazing!

Anonymous said...

Hey Dawn, I came to your entry late, but am in awe of the wisdom you are imparting to a certain thirteenyearold.

valerie said...

i read your letter and got all emotional. then i linked to the letter that inspired you, and then linked to the letter that inspired her. i had to stop because it's just too overwhelming... all those growing pains we go through! i appreciate your openness. you share the beauty of life, and i truly love your blog.

my new favorite quote: "when God shuts a door, start making some kickass curtains for the window that He will open."

Anonymous said...

Aww, Dawn... This is SO why we keep hanging with you, gal!!

A bird in the hand said...

oh dawnie! I could have written a very similar one, parent's divorce and all. xoxo

Natalie Tischler said...

That was really touching Dawn! I am a late bloomer too so I feel you on that one!

martha brown said...

What a wonderful letter......
I tried to do one of these too, Dawn, but it upset me too much. And the 13 year old wouldn't have listened anyway....... she was very stubborn and didn't listen to anyone.....