Anonymous Letter 1 - Tenacity

Friend,

I wish you could see what I see. I wish you knew just what you are capable of, and what you truly deserve.

Why do we settle? Why do we keep spinning in circles, only to end up dizzy and out of sorts - and nowhere closer to happy? You deserve people in your world that will see what an incredible human you are: kind, compassionate, strong, loving. You're not perfect, of course, none of us are... but you have resolve. You have tenacity. 

When I was eighteen, a real estate agent I worked with told me I was tenacious, and I've never forgotten it. Isn't that strange? I find myself recalling that word often, and I think it's such a beautiful trait... I'm honored that he thought of me when he thought of that word. What a compliment... in a sea of "you're funny" and "you're awesome", hearing you're tenacious can be a real eye-opener.

Do you know what tenacious means? It's an adjective, and it means determined. Persistent. Tireless. It's an unbelievable compliment, but man... it's a bit loaded. But, friend, you really are tenacious.

The thing is, I know you're tired. I know you're losing resolve. I know you lay in bed at night and stare up at the ceiling, wondering how you got to where you are. The thousands of comments of encouragement and "you can do better" don't as much encourage you as they defeat you. You already know, but you don't believe that anything can change. That you're not strong enough to be the change that you pray for every day. So, you fight to hold on... just one more day.

God made you tenacious. He gave you your fight, and it's a beautiful trait - but tenacity can be misplaced, friend. When you want to be tenacious and hold onto something unhealthy, God wants you to put your foot down and tenaciously demand change. To demand better for yourself, and your family. To seek His will. He sees you as a beautiful creation. Sometimes, as women - we have to lead the way, and that means our tenacity is going to lead us to make hard decisions. Sometimes, little eyes are watching, and we can bravely show them what it truly means to be tenacious, especially in the face of adversity.

I wish you could see what I see. Your fight is your best quality, but it's often misplaced. Fight, boldly, for good. Fight for change. Demand it, friend. I'm behind you. We're all behind you.