Nora,
There will be times in life that you feel tempted to surrender to the chaos around you. Everywhere you look you will see evil and suffering.
As your mother, I must tell you that there is good in this world, and it is enough. Look for it and savor it when you find it.
Just wait until you:
taste a fresh, ripe peach straight off the tree
kiss the man you love in the rain
watch a rushing river boast in its majesty
meet your future child for the very first time
see the world's patchwork landscape from a bird's eye view
realize the depth of God's love for you
summit that mountain after a grueling hike
feel the wind in your face from a jet ski
savor the first bite of a perfect meal as it melts away on your tongue
slip into a hot tub on a frigid day with aching muscles
laugh hysterically over something stupid with your best friend
come home to family after an extended time away
do good for someone without acknowledgement
be spontaneous for spontaneity's sake
hear your favorite band in a hole-in-the-wall venue
and, last but not least,
curl up in your mama's lap even when you're 40 because, as the book says, "as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
Love Always,
Your Mama
