Dear Daughter...
Happy 16th Birthday to my daughter Raquel and Happy 1st Anniversary of being cancer and chemo free!
Dear Daughter,
You’ve taught me so much on your journey. When you were born, I could have never imagined the incredible life that you would have lived during your first 16 years. Your strength, your hope, your joy has been an inspiration to me. I realize that so much of what I want to say, so many of the life lessons we have lived, have now ended up inspiring others in your jewelry. So here are a few lessons that I have learned through Down syndrome, through Cancer, through raising a daughter that always dreams big, loves hard, and never gives up.
Never, never give up
Be strong! Be courageous! Know that you have the strength to achieve your amazing goal that is in your sight. Never give up on reaching your goals. Things haven’t come easy for you, but I am humbled by your tenacity and hard work. You never give up and I promise I will never give up on you.
Make a Difference
One day, an old man was walking along a beach and saw thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by a storm. A young girl was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. The old man laughed, “There are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The girl picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man meekly said, “I made a difference to that one!”
Let the starfish remind you that anyone can make a difference. Dear daughter, I hear from others every week on how you have made a difference in their lives. From inspiring others to start their own business or to follow their dreams or to live the life of their choosing. Thank you for being the girl that throws the starfish in the water, and always “makes a difference to that one!”
She Believed
She believed she could so she did. Believe that you can do it and you will! You have the strength to make it happen. You believe in others, you believe in kindness and that there is good in the world. I hope you always believe in all the goodness and light that is in you and in others!
You are Braver than You Believe, Stronger than You Seem, and Smarter than You Think
This beautiful quote that Christopher Robin first told to Winnie the Pooh to inspire him and squelch self-doubts is one of our favorites! You may doubt your value, your worth, your abilities, but you never should. This quote is a reminder that you are brave, strong, and smart and can do it! I saw your bravery over 60 days in the hospital in one single year, 200 additional days in the same year at the hospital clinic, and more procedures, chemo, and treatment that I wanted to remember over your 2 and a half years of treatment. I saw your strength through the pain and the sickness. And I saw your intelligence, creativity, and smarts with everything you created from the challenges you overcame. When kids bullied you because you had no hair and called you ugly, you stood in defiance to let everyone know that we ALL have beauty within us. You are brave, strong, smart, and beautiful!
Never Lose Hope
Let hope give you strength as you overcome any challenge in front of you. When the world says to give up, hope tells you to try one more time. You know that your dreams can come true and you never lose hope (or at least when you do it’s only temporary and not for long!) Thank you for showing me hope through your cancer, even when on those many long days and nights, I found it so hard to see.
Find Joy in the Journey
No matter what, you always saw that your present situation wasn’t your final destination. Keep taking moments to see the beauty in each and every day. Believe in yourself. Believe in your path. There were beautiful parts of your journey in leukemia, including the love and prayers from tens of thousands throughout the world, the wonderful doctors and nurses who cared for you, and the strength that you used to overcome it. There is so much joy around us. Dear daughter, continue to find joy in the journey!
Pay It Forward
It’s amazing how one’s persons kindness can make a difference in the world, and make a difference in someone’s life. It is a ripple effect that can truly change the world. I love that you decided, after donating thousands of dollars of inspirational jewelry to those with cancer or Down syndrome or families that were struggling with a challenge, that you decided that for each bracelet that someone purchased, that another one would be donated to someone in need to to inspire, strengthen, and empower others. You are making the world kinder and more beautiful. Keep paying it forward and the ripple will become giant waves that we can only imagine.
Happy 16th birthday dear Raquel! I will continue to watch in wonder as you make your beautiful dreams come true!
Mom