I love you. I have always loved and will always love you. I love you unconditionally.
You have a lot of choices to make in the next two months. These choices will affect your entire life. The first choice you face is whether to walk at graduation. I hope you choose to do this. It’s something that you will remember for your entire life. In the future, looking back on graduation day, you may not remember that you and I were fighting. Should you choose to not walk, you will most definitely remember the hurt and anger you feel now.
You also have to choose whether to go to college or not. This decision will affect so much of your future. It’s the difference between struggling like me, or the chance at having a secure future. The ability to travel, own a home, earn a comfortable salary all hinge on this single decision.
I’ve always encouraged you to spread your wings, try new things, get outside of your comfort zone. I’ve never tried to control you, belittle you, or put you down.
These decisions are now up to you. I can’t make them for you, and I can no longer protect you or shield you from the consequences of your decisions. I’ve held your hand for 17 years, and knew the time would come when your hand would slip from mine, and you would be on your own. But instead of the gentle sliding into adulthood, we’ve both snatched our hands away, leaving us both hurt, angry, and sad.
But we can go back. You can choose to come home, and spend the next two months with your family, with the love and support we offer, and slide gently into the next role of your life.
Love, Mom
Wow…this is beautiful. Love it…and love the love that you have with your daughter. I am really close with mine as well, so this is really extra touching. She is lucky to have you!
Thanks jolene. And it worked! She came home last night.
Oh, I’m so glad to read that she’s back home!
I am reminded that I, too, am in need of writing my 17 year old daughter a letter. I have been thinking about it a lot lately. There’s so much more I want to say to her before she is really gone. In high school they already feel like they’re gone, as their lives are so busy. I worry about how I’ve failed her in so many ways and feel terrible as I watch her struggle with her own demons. The divorce was hardest on her. I wish I could make it all better. Or maybe request a “do over!” Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.
Thanks for sharing your letter and reminding me of what I need to do. God bless you as you and your daughter continue to navigate the relationship journey.
My sister is going through this at 19, and it’s tearing my mother apart. Unfortunately my sister isn’t getting it as quickly as your daughter has. It’s sad reading your letter because I feel like that’s how my mom must feel and it breaks my heart to know my sister is hurting her so badly, and it makes me angry towards my sister, I cannot bond with my sister when I know she’s hurting my family like this.