A heartfelt, handwritten letter found on the ground at 114th and Lenox in Harlem.
Dear the light of my life,
This is your mommy. I know you are all grown up. And I know you have your own life to live now. I just want you to know that I love you, and I will support you in any endeavor you take on. You will make mistakes. We will fight over some things I don’t agree with. But as long as you stay true to yourself, I will never be disappointed in you.
I myself went through the roller coaster of life, and I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t. I fought with your grandmother over any and everything. Yet she always gave me space to make my own choices. You will be faced with tough decisions and you will have to take risks. Sometimes you will find yourself at your lowest of lows and other times at your highest of highs. Just don’t give up and don’t forget who you are.
I’ve made both good and bad risks in my life. I didn’t always have my head on straight. In high school I took the risk of cutting class and making my friends my top priority. As a result, I was failing most of my classes. I put myself at risk of getting suspended or worse, expelled. But I pulled myself together, and I wound up graduating in the top 15 of my class.
I also took good risks. After I dropped out of college, I gave thought to attending Job Corps. When I shared my decision with my friends, they all gave me negative feedback. I didn’t let their doubts stop me from going through with my decision. While Job Corps was a tough experience, I do no regret going through with it.
Always remember life is what you make it. I love you always.
Sincerely yours,
Mommy xoxo