A Letter to my Daughter on her Second Birthday

Dear Arielle Marie,

How is it possible that you are now two years old?

This has been a tough year for all of us with unprecedented losses and much-needed change. But this is the only world you’ve really known and my heart breaks to think you’ll never know the one that I did before the pandemic. But then again, I barely remember what life was like before 9/11 changed everything. Each generation has their moment. I just hate that your’s came so quickly.

But selfishly, I loved having so much time with you, not having to share you with too many people. You still make me feel like the most important person in the world when you look at me with your smiling eyes. And more than ever, you make my heart ache when I hear your tears.

And now that the world is opening up, though I am hesitant, I am so excited for people to find out how funny you are, how absolutely charming you’ve become. I can’t wait for them to see how passionately you dance, with your golden curls bouncing up and down with abandon, or how beautifully you sing with your sweet, strong voice.

This will be the year that people beyond our immediate circle will find out how wonderful life is now that you’re in the world.