For Terry, on her sweet sixteen

Dear Terry,

Today is exactly a week since you turned sixteen. I haven’t been able to pen anything down since my last post which was about you and Mort. I think this blog is slowly turning out to be you and Mort’s fan blog, following you as you grow and maybe one day you will both get to have a lovely conversation about them when you are twenty five and Mort twenty three.

That day passed by oddly slowly. Your birthday, I’m not complaining that it should have ended as soon as it started, no, we have to celebrate, you are to be celebrated.  It’s more like a piano was being played in the background, a soft tune, and you were the main character dancing to the slow rhythm, breathing the sweet sixteen air and to surprise us with a climax from a tik tok dance you learned two days ago.

You love dancing. You dance when walking to church, you dance in the kitchen, you dance in the sitting room, at the hallway, you dance in school, it seems alien that I don’t learn these dances with you and laugh at my awkward dances and wonder how one doesn’t know how to dance

It seems to me you are dancing through life, unperturbed by its complexities.

Fifteen came with big changes. Joining high school brought a rollercoaster of emotions you have never experienced. Being away from home for the first time might have made you feel alone and unprepared to fight for yourself, thinking for yourself and have no one dotting you around. In as much as it was difficult, you braved through it. You are learning to take each day at a time, you are learning to take care of yourself, you are learning to be responsible. I will let you know that it won’t always be easy, that some days will be hard and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. And on those days, you’re to be patient with yourself. To just hold on a little longer because things change and high school will be over before you know it and you will get to own a phone and post dancing videos everyday. To be patient, not just with finishing school, but with things not working out as soon as you would like them to.

You see the possibility in the impossible.

You are always quick to ask about what you need, you know how to ask for help, you still ask about going to thrift clothes and shoes even when I will say no or a later day than you expect. 

And that is what I am learning from you, I have spent many days knowing I have myself to rely on. I think this is another dance move of yours, twirling in the possibilities of life.

Sixteen has been wonderful so far. I see the deep look in your eyes when you look at me, and I think you are searching for yourself, I hope to give you the answers.

I will always be here.

I have no doubt that you’re going to change the world with your gifts and your presence. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings for you.

Happy birthday sweet Terry, I love you, and like Dory in Finding Nemo who sings “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim”. What do we do? We dance.

Love,

Gracie.