Tiffany's World by Tiffany Hunt

A letter to my teenager;

By Tiffany C. Hunt, LPN

 

Xavier,

As the world starts to change more and more for the worst, and I feel my faith in humanity fading slowly with each news story or memorial post on social media, I am reminded that you are just beginning your journey into the world, and it would be detrimental for me to push my fears and worries on your now broadening shoulders. So this letter is for you to keep close to your heart, as you begin your transition into high school.

First things first: I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT YOU ARE READY FOR THIS. YOU ARE A SMART, CAPABLE, AND INTELLIGENT YOUNG MAN.  I want you to go into the world exactly the way you come in to my room every morning  to say hello; with those big, beautiful eyes wide with hope, and that thousand watt smile ready to greet each person that crosses your path. I wish nothing more than for you to see all the good things that this world has to offer. I want you to stay a kid for as long as possible, and enjoy the experience that is growing up. But the reality is, as a teenager in this America, you are not safe on these streets anymore. I want you to be wide eyed when you look at the world, but you also need to enter the world with both eyes open. Arm yourself with the knowledge that this world can be a very dark place. It is filled with people who will hate you because of what you look like, the way you speak, and how you carry yourself. You will have strangers ready to judge you just by what you are wearing, and let’s not even discuss the social media gangsters that have no problem destroying your beautiful spirit, with only a few clicks of a keyboard, just because you scored higher on a test than them. But in the same breath, I can tell you with all the love in my heart that this world is filled with phenomenal people, just like you, that will get what XAVIER is all about. You make an impression on all that you meet, and there will be people (even girl people, to my dismay) that will see you for who you are; an irreplaceable find. Take comfort in the fact that you will always, ALWAYS, have me and your father beside you. Even though we are not together, we both know the best thing we ever did was create you. You have a mountain of family, friends, father figures, supporters, and teachers who will be with you each step on this journey into adulthood. Talk to me, even if you think I won’t like what you have to say, and know I may not always get the answers or responses to your concerns quite right. We WILL work through it all. And remember all that you have accomplished so far, especially when life is trying to beat you down or make you feel inadequate. You are a lion, in a sea of very lazy goldfish. Please, never ever forget that.

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