A Birthday Wish For My Daughter – Honoring You Today and Everyday
To My Daughter: A Celebration of Love and Connection
Today, I write “A Birthday Wish for My Daughter – Honoring You Today and Every Day”, celebrating not just the day you were born but every moment that has shaped you into the beautiful person you are. Memories fill my heart: your laughter as a child, your sense of humor, your kindness, and the way your eyes light up when you’re passionate. Each of these moments reminds me how proud I am, every single day, to be your mother.
This reflection is more than just “A Birthday Wish for My Daughter – Honoring You Today and Every Day.” It is a living memoir—a celebration of you, the lessons you’ve taught me, and the unconditional love we share.
As I share this tribute with the world, my hope is to inspire others to nurture the connections they have with their children.
A Memory I Hold Dear To My Heart: Your Birth Story
I will never forget the day I found out I was carrying twins. When the doctor told me I was losing one, my heart shattered. However, hope grew stronger when I learned the other twin was thriving—you. From the very beginning, you showed incredible strength. The doctor gave me hope, but it was your resilience and determination that gave me the chance to carry you to full term.
Navigating Challenges with Hope
Those six months of bed rest felt endless. Contractions came every few minutes, and I was monitored from home through a device that allowed nurses to track my condition from afar. Yet, through it all, I poured everything I had into keeping you safe. I relied on hope and the thought of holding you in my arms to carry me through each day.
At the time, I didn’t have the tools I now know about to navigate such uncertainty. Tools like meditation, for example, could have helped ground me, ease my worries, and bring me back to the present moment. Exploring meditation now has shown me how much it can help cultivate calm and resilience during life’s most challenging moments.
For any parent navigating uncertainty, meditation can be a powerful way to reconnect with the sacred rhythm of your soul.
The Comfort of Waiting
Weeks passed after the McDonald stitches were removed, but you stayed exactly where you felt safe and secure. I cherished those moments of carrying you, even as the days turned into weeks, and the challenges felt never-ending.
Potato soup became my comfort food during pregnancy, and even today, it remains one of your favorites. I spent countless hours dreaming about you—your eyes, your laugh, your smile, the life we would share, and the beautiful dresses and hats I would adorn you with. To this day beanies are your favorite thing to wear. I surrounded myself with beauty, immersing myself in magazines adorned with lace and the gentle charm of the Victorian era I loved so dearly, imagining the soft, delicate world I longed to create for you. Every detail was a reflection of the love I already felt for you, even before we met.
A Labor of Love
When I finally went into labor and it was time for your birth, you weren’t ready to leave the comfort of my womb. You stayed tucked in, nestled in love and warmth, as if to say, “No way, it’s too cold out there, and it’s super comfy in here.” You were positioned high, showing no signs of wanting to make your grand entrance into the world. I couldn’t blame you—you were in a place that was safe, quiet, and untouched by the illusions and chaos of the world.
I look back on those moments with a smile now, imagining your tiny self thinking, “The world is crazy and noisy, and out there, there are germs. – I’m staying right here.” It was as if you already knew how sacred that space was, cradled within me, where time stood still, and love was the only thing that mattered.
Bringing you into the world required strength I didn’t know I had. You made me wait, and the process wasn’t easy, but the moment I held you in my arms, every challenge, every contraction, and every ounce of exhaustion disappeared. You were finally here, and all I could feel was the overwhelming joy of meeting you for the first time—the little soul I had dreamed of, prayed for, and loved unconditionally from the very beginning.
A Journey of Growth and Love
Motherhood hasn’t been easy. I didn’t have all the answers or tools, but I gave everything I had. The journey has been filled with laughter, tears, challenges, and triumphs. I can’t take back time, decisions, or actions, but I can embrace them with grace, compassion and understanding.
The arrival of a baby doesn’t come with a manual, nor did I have a supportive and loving childhood that would be the foundation I could build upon. I didn’t have the wisdom or tools then that I hold now. I dreamed of creating a family filled with love, security, and connection—so different from the one I came from. But life had other plans.
Our family began to unravel in ways I never imagined. Your brother’s illness brought challenges that tested all of us in ways I wasn’t prepared for. The dynamics within our family shifted under the weight of these struggles, and eventually, the dream of the family I had envisioned was torn to pieces. The divorce that followed deeply impacted you and your upbringing, and I often carried the weight of guilt and sadness, wondering how it would shape your life. Keeping within a story that I never wanted you to experience. Your father is the greatest dad any daughter could ever dream of having. To this day, I thank him and love him for being part of creating you.
Challenges Along the Way
The stress and pain from those years also took a toll on my health. Navigating the loss of the unity of our family, the emotional weight of our circumstances, and my own battle with cancer was overwhelming at times. Yet, through it all, you were right by my side. Your strength, love, and presence gave me the courage to keep going, even when it felt like I had nothing left.
Looking back, I see the moments where I struggled to hold everything together. Yet, I also see resilience—yours and mine. Despite the broken pieces, we found ways to build something new. It wasn’t the family I dreamed of, but it was still a space filled with love, determination, and the desire to move forward.
Surviving cancer during such a turbulent time taught me to hold on tightly to what truly matters. It gave me a deeper appreciation for you and for life itself. You were my light during the darkest days, reminding me of the strength and love that exists even amidst the hardest battles.
With time and reflection, I’ve come to understand that while I can’t rewrite the past, I can honor it for the lessons it has given me. I acknowledge my mistakes and the pain we’ve endured, but I also choose to move forward with intention and a renewed commitment to being a better person—for you, for myself, and for the life we continue to create together.
You’re My Greatest Teacher
Through it all, you’ve been my greatest teacher.
From you, I’ve learned:
- How to see the world with curiosity and wonder.
- To be open to acceptance and other ways of loving, living, and simply being YOU.
- The strength it takes to follow your heart, even when it’s hard.
- The importance of showing up—not just in the big moments but in the small, everyday ways that matter most.
- To see beyond what society defines as a mother, daughter, or friend—to understand that you are a piece of my soul.
- That you my dear and beloved daughter are free as a bird to fly and spread your wings far and wide.
- To create the life you desire and to be the best version of yourself.
- To fight for what you believe in, stand in your truth, and be your authentic self.
I hope you know that the love I have for you is infinite and unconditional. Nothing and no one can ever take that away from me.
A Call to Connection
To anyone reading this: Take a moment today to reflect on the bond you share with someone you love. Perhaps distance, time, or even unresolved pain has created space between you, but it’s never too late to reconnect. Write a letter, share a memory, or simply say, “I love you.”
If your not able to communicate you can set the intention and send the love or ask for forgiveness directly to their soul. You can take responsibility for your actions and goodwill. These small acts of intention and connection are the threads that weave healing and meaning into our lives. They remind us of the power of love, forgiveness, the importance of presence, and the courage it takes to show up, even when it’s hard.
For many of us, the bonds we share are shaped by patterns passed down through generations. These patterns—both the beautiful ones and the ones that cause harm—shape how we love, how we cope, and how we show up in the world. Intergenerational trauma can feel like an unbreakable thread running through our lives, dictating who we are and how we connect. Yet, it doesn’t have to define us and we can break that cycle.
Healing Relationships
Healing begins with awareness and intention. It starts with the willingness to look inward, to acknowledge the cycles that no longer serve us or humanity, and to say, “This stops with me.” Cutting these cycles isn’t easy—it takes immense courage to face the pain of the past and choose a different path. But in doing so, we create space for love, connection, and new beginnings.
When we choose to heal ourselves, we don’t just transform our own lives; we change the lives of those we love and generations yet to come. Every act of love, every moment of connection, and every choice to break an unhealthy cycle is a gift to ourselves, our children, and the world.
If you’re interested in exploring how inherited family trauma affects our well-being and how to end these cycles, Mark Wolynn’s book, It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle, offers valuable insights.
So, I invite you to take this step: reach out to someone you care about. Acknowledge the bond you share, even if it feels fragile. Let them know they matter to you. And most importantly, give yourself the grace to heal and grow. Together, we can weave a new story—one of love, resilience, and connection that serves not just us, but the world we’re building for those who follow.
For more inspiration on personal growth and healing, explore previous posts on finding strength through self-reflection to discover stories that uplift and guide your journey.
A Prayer of Healing
May you heal all the wounds from your childhood. Please know that you did nothing wrong—you were simply being yourself, discovering who you were meant to be. I was the one living in a world of pain and illusions, repeating patterns from previous generations. It had nothing to do with you and everything to do with my own upbringing. I was not conscious of it at the time, nor did I have the awareness to see it clearly. For this, I ask for your forgiveness. I want nothing more than for you to heal your tender heart and soul and step fully into the best version of your beautiful self.
May you also heal the relationships in your heart with your siblings. You did nothing wrong. They made their own choices, and you are neither accountable nor responsible for their actions. You should not carry the pain or suffer for the choices they’ve made in their lives. Let go of questioning why. You are responsible only for your own emotions, actions, and choices.
You are a loving, compassionate soul who loves and cares deeply, but I ask you to free your tender heart from these sad emotions. When we hold on to emotions, they become stuck energy within the body, disrupting its natural flow. This stagnant energy does not serve us well and can manifest as physical ailments or diseases. Let them go—for your health, your peace, and your well-being.
Set yourself free and embody love and truth. Truth is truth, and love is love, and in the eyes of the divine, we are all one. Send love to them and pray they find peace within themselves. And as you release these emotions, may you feel the lightness of healing and the strength of your own love flowing freely within you.
To You, My Daughter
As I write this, I’m overwhelmed by how much you mean to me. You’ve brought light, laughter, and purpose into my life in ways I never could have imagined.
As you celebrate another year, my wish for you is simple yet profound:
- May you always know your worth and walk through life with confidence and grace.
- May you follow the dreams that set your soul on fire and never doubt your ability to make them a reality.
- Most of all, may you know that no matter where life takes you, my love is with you—surrounding you, lifting you, and cheering you on every step of the way.
Happy Birthday, my love. You are my heart walking outside my body, my constant reminder of the connection a mother has with her child and the importance of nurturing that relationship. It has been a gift to watch you grow through all the phases of your life, to see you spread your wings far and wide, and to witness you being YOU—perfect just as you are.
As a mother, it’s natural to feel an attachment to you, to want to hold on tightly and protect you. But love also means setting you free—free to soar, to spread your wings, and to shine your light in the way only you can. No matter where I am in the world, you will always be in my heart and my prayers. You carry my love with you wherever you go, and I will forever cheer you on from near or afar, knowing that you are living your truth and embracing your journey.
Thank you for being my daughter and for gifting me with your divine presence. You have shaped me into the person I am today through all that you’ve taught me.
Happy Birthday, Sweetie. May you celebrate today, spread your love and light to the world, and savor every moment of your existence.
I LOVE YOU,
MOM
