Today I met a young, exhausted, girl in my wandering through my memories.

I looked her deeply in the face and recognized myself. She was in constant turmoil. Every five seconds she was asking herself if she has done enough or if she has completely messed up the future; what if someone from the future will look back on her and curse her and everything she’s done… Always second guessing herself.

I shuddered inside feeling all her feelings.

When she recognized me, she believed it was her doomsday. I just broke down in tears. I went and took her by the hands:

My dear younger self,

You are exquisite! You’ve done so well!!

You kept us alive when everything was against that!

You faced so many hardships along the way, and managed them the best you could. In every fire you have been, you never shied away from flames. At times you fell on your face and waited for the intensity to dim a bit, but in the end, you walked through all of it. You’ve built into my life a richness and endurance that served us so well through the years.

I would not be able to lead my life the way I do, if you would have chosen an easier path.

How could you think today is doomsday?

Oh, please, forgive me that I could not see your pain. I could have come sooner; I could have made it all go away. The way you loved me is imprinted in everything that I am. I stand and build on the foundation that you so carefully laid down.

I am amazed by how untamed you remained through it all. I am so grateful that when life got really messy, you just kept going. You had no time for pity parties – you just kept on building.

You’ve built a future where greatness is a possibility.

You never stopped adding to the legacy.

I am proud that you are part of me!

I love our story.

My God, thank You for every overwhelming situation that I lived. All of those moments made me see that I am capable of so much more than all the people around me thought would be appropriate for me. Even though I built a cage for myself with all of their opinions, I never morphed – I remained wild.

This is my worship today – awe and reverence to The One Who Made My Story Great.