I hope you get to experience lots of crisp, before-the-sun-rises, porch sittings.
And I hope you get lots of tired, heavy, after-the-sun-sets, mandatory work put in.
I hope you try a new flavor of black coffee, and I hope you fall in love with it.
And I hope you try to mask your sorrows with a shot of dark whiskey, just to realize a glass of milk works the same magic.
I hope you take plenty of evenings to just soak in a bathtub, moisturize your body, curl up in your cutest pajamas, and sleep in cool, clean flannel sheets.
And I hope you have plenty of mornings where you wake up sore from yesterday’s hard work. Your feet hit the cold floor, and you get to slip into your chilly, dusty work jeans, that lain on the floor all night.
I hope you get to sit in the back pew of a little white church, and feel the presence God when the congregation sings ‘Amazing Grace‘.
And I hope you get to sit alone in a place that makes you happy, and deeply contemplate your purpose.
I hope you get to sit by a wood stove and watch your grandparents’ faces light up, while they reminisce about younger days.
And I hope you let harsh words slip off your tongue to a parent. And I hope when you do, you regret it, and you make an effort to love them even better.
I hope you make lots of laps in your little hometown, and I hope you appreciate the love and comforts it brings to you.
And I hope you go far away from home, feeling unsettled, lost, and vulnerable. I hope that you quietly begin to fall in love with your home away from home.
I hope you get to smell the top of a newborn’s head. I hope you fall in love with that baby, not even knowing who she’s going to someday be.
And I hope you get to hear your heels clicking down the quiet hallway of a hospital. I hope you feel the dread and heartbreak of losing someone so familiar- so that it feels like part of you is dying too.
I hope you have many days where your truck starts on the first turn of the key, fiercely roaring to life.
And I hope you have days when it leaves you sitting on the side of the interstate, sounding very pitiful and tired.
I hope you fall in love with red lips, leather jackets, and heels.
And I hope you also find comfort in a worn thin tank top, messy hair, and tired tennis shoes.
I hope you love someone with your entire being. I hope you find joy in their presence, bliss in their touch, and hope in your futures.
And I hope you spend some nights distraught, wanting to call to beg for an explanation, or at least some closure in why they don’t love you anymore.
I hope a hasty lie slips off your lips, and your audience wholly believes you.
And I hope you tell the absolute truth, just to be ridiculed and skeptisized.
I hope you help a man in need without being noticed.
And I hope a man with less than you goes out of his way to give you something costly and meaningful, humbling and teaching you what it truly means to give.
I hope you feel secret superiority over fellow sinners.
And I hope you slip into committing those exact same sins to soften your heart.
I hope you have a tin roof and a heavy comforter to cozy up under during a thunderstorm.
And I hope you have days where your shoes feel as thin as your wallet, and you just have to wait for better days.
I hope you get to slip into your new favorite swimsuit, look into the mirror with confidence, and enjoy your time in the water.
And I hope you have days where your teeth seem more yellow, your wrinkles better depict your age, and your skin lacks a healthy glow.
I hope you whisper random thoughts into an intrigued ear, and you feel like you are appreciated and important.
And I hope you scream your passions into a crowd, just to feel ignored and powerless.
I hope you understand that neither prosperity nor despair is permanent.
I hope you understand that life has seasons, regardless of who you are.
You are not any more important than anyone else around you, and no person will ever be superior to you.
I hope you understand that without the lows, the depressions, the losses, and the mistakes- you won’t appreciate the highs, the happiness’s, the successes, and the flawless moments.
I hope you learn to appreciate both times of your life, and learn to embrace who you are.
I hope you understand that life is the longest thing you’ll ever get the privilege of experiencing, and I hope like you treat it with gratitude and respect, until the very end.
