Dear Marley,

I can’t believe that it’s been 16 years already. Seems like just yesterday, you were 6 months old - staring at me and the world with those big brown eyes. That look. Those eyes. They were like a lullaby, so calming and peaceful.

And look at you now. Still silencing the storm, leaving thunder to cower beneath your gaze. There are so many things I want you know. And even more things that I need you to know. 

I want you to know that even at just half a year old, you had already taught me so much about life. A life I’d already spent 35 years studying for and at times aimlessly trying to figure out how to live. 

I need you know that you gave me clarity. You pushed me further in the direction of my purpose.

I want you to know that in your journey to discover what love is, you’ve shown me how to love better. 

And I need you to know that every thing you’ve planted in my heart will be harvested and returned to you, abundantly. 

I want you to know that what they say is true - you are indeed magic. 

But I need you to know that you’re much more than that. You’re also the magician. You have the power to change everything around you. Like alchemy. It’s not just the gold in your complexion that shines, babygirl. It’s the gold you create every time you touch the world with your hands and your heart and those eyes.

I want you to know that there are only 2 types of mistakes - the ones that slow you down and the ones that grow you up. 

And I need you know that I’m grateful for every mistake that you’ve encountered and inspired by how much you’ve allowed yourself to grow from them. 

I want you to be more awake than “woke”. I want you to see the beauty around you and have the capacity to find beauty where others think it doesn’t exist. 

I want you to keep dreaming with the same recklessness and audacity as you did when you had no knowledge of creative boundaries. 

I want you to appreciate the time spent in your cocoon as much as you flaunt every color in your butterfly wings. And I want you to fly. I need you to fly. 

I want you to keep growing and learning and teaching me about life.

I want you to keep working on your magic – the world needs more hearts of gold.