First Job

Dear Lila,

You got your first job! You are going to Usdan for camp this summer and they asked if you'd like to be a bus monitor. The duties are pretty straightforward: greet campers as they board the bus, set a good example while riding the bus, take attendance and submit it when you arrive at camp. You're going to get paid at the end of the session. Congrats on your first paying gig!

Love,

Mom

Getting Older and Hopefully Wiser

Dear Lila,

You are 13 years old and not at all thinking about aging (nor should you be) but when that day eventually comes, I want you to remember these points I recently read in an article:

-"Stop telling a woman 'You look younger' or 'You look good for your age.' It's not a compliment."

-"We look our age not because we've let ourselves go but because we've finally let ourselves be."

-"Aging is not ugly. Aging is powerful."

-"None of us knows our timeline and if we see each day of life as a gift, the more days we've lived, the better."

I am turning 45 this year. Some people lie about their age or are shy to admit it. I will never be one of those people. Aging is a privilege and when you one day in the (very distant) future start seeing more wrinkles and gray hairs in the mirror, I hope you will remember that. Don't chase youth. Chase happiness.

Love,

Mom