Advice for a Fifteen Year Old
I received this (slightly edited) email from Starr’s step-mom a couple weeks ago:
Hey there Kelly,
I have a favor to ask… for Christmas, I’m making Sissy (Starr’s little sister) a book with the words of wisdom from every woman I know that has had a significant part in her life in some way. Basically, high school started off a bummer because she was so looking forward to it and then, it was just more school, she soon realized. The boys that she liked, liked other girls and the boys that liked her, she couldn’t care less about and friends go crazy when they have boyfriends and now, as of this weekend, she has a “boyfriend” and teens in love are crazy, so, I thought I’d get advice from as many as I could that know her. Would you mind writing a few (or as many as you’d like) words to her? Examples of what some people have said they are writing are all over the place… from bullet points “Top Ten keys to life”, my mom is writing a note and sending pages from her diary when she was 15 years old, another friend is writing “why chocolate chips are better than boys”, another wrote why it’s important to keep your girlfriends when you start dating. I’m also putting in lyrics from songs that mean things as well. The first song will be “15” by Taylor Swift… when I heard it, it totally made me think of Sissy’s life in the past few months! If you have some scrapbooking paper to write on, that would be great! The book is an 8 x 11 sketchbook that I’m putting the papers in and I’ll decorate the pages…so as long as the paper is smaller than that, it’s good! Let me know if this is ok. Thank you so much! I just need it in the next couple of weeks… I’m hoping to collect them all and get them in the book without trying to cram it all in the last week before Christmas.
Thanks!
Of course I said “sure I’d love to put something together for her!” but have been dragging my feet. Today our goal is to finish our pages and drop them in the mail. I want to say the perfect thing…but am at a loss as to what that is!
So what does a 15 year old girl need to know? What will she truly take to heart? I found this that (at the moment) I plan to include: It is Maya Angelou’s response to the question “what advice do you have for young people growing up today?
To laugh as much as possible. Always laugh; it is the sweetest thing one can do for oneself and one’s fellow human being. When people see the laughing face, even if they’re jealous of it, their burden is lightened. But do it first for yourself.
Laugh and dare to try to love somebody, starting with yourself. You must love yourself first, of course, and you must protect yourself when you can. You say, “Just a minute! I’m worth everything, dear.”
If you really realize that, you realize everybody else is worth everything. Everybody, fat and thin and plain and pretty, white and black, rich and poor, thick and slow and brilliant, everybody is worth everything. Start with yourself though.
I think it’s good advice for adults (i.e. me!) too! But what else, if anything should I add??
I really like what you wrote here. Maya Angelou has a powerful voice and the words she uses hit home. Other than maybe some type of personal note to her, I think you’ve done a good job!
.-= blueviolet´s last blog ..Tricky, Tricky – W/W Wednesday =-.
Thank you! I think that it’s the personal note that’s stumping me!
What a great book idea! Of course, being 15, it probably won’t mean anything until she’s 30, but she will treasure it.
I think your thoughts are great.
I remember 15 (forever ago) and it WAS hard.
.-= Kimberly´s last blog ..6-8 Black Men, pt. 1 =-.
I agree, it might not change her perspective immediately, but I do think that she will appreciate it!
That sounds so good to me.
If I were writing this page, another thing I would think about would be something about perspective.
But as Kim says, a 15 year old might not get it.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..A Jason Show Strip Tease =-.
Perspective is good. Thanks!!
i think what you put is wonderful.. and i cant even imagine what kind of advice to BEGIN to give.. i kinda go by the whole “you live, you learn” motto…. but i think this book is a FABULOUS idea!
.-= Randi´s last blog ..All Under 15 Dollars =-.
You live, you learn! Love it! Maybe accompanied with a light slap on the back of the head…followed by a “snap out of it!!”
: )
[...] I decided to try to make a Zentangle of Sissy’s name to add to her page: [...]