To the (maybe 13 year old) girl at the concert,
You don’t know me, and that’s okay. You were sitting in the
front row at the concert last night and I couldn’t help but notice you. Not
because of your long, beautiful pony tail, or pretty pink shirt. But because of
your joy and reckless abandon. You sat in the front row and you sang and danced
and clapped and laughed to your heart’s desire. I never once saw you look
around or pay much attention to your surroundings. You didn’t spend all night
checking Facebook or Instagram or texting with someone. You danced and sang and
participated and took pictures to capture such a joyous night.
Dear girl, don’t ever lose your sense of self, because your self is beautiful.
Don’t ever stop dancing to look around. Don’t ever stop singing for fear that
someone might hear you. Don’t ever stop laughing in an attempt to shrink
yourself down. We were created to experience such joy, and I’m not sure where
or when we learned to censor ourselves in order to fit in. But sweet girl, what
a beautiful reminder to live in the moment and experience the joy as it comes.
And to really experience it, wholly and with every ounce of our beings, no
matter what anyone else says or thinks or does. At some point in life, someone
may tell you you’re too loud or too outspoken or too big or too dramatic. But
the truth is, you are never too much and you are always enough. 
