Watching Someone Grow
One of the most underrated privileges in life is watching someone grow. My daughter’s sorority asked me to write her a letter in celebration of her college graduation. It made me pause long enough to realize how incredible it is to watch someone push past the version of themselves they thought was fixed and evolve into someone they had aspired to be.
Whether it's your child, your mentee, your friend, your sibling — if you've had a front-row seat to someone's growth, you know the feeling.
Here's the letter.
Dear Lola,
My sweet love! You are the absolute love of my life and I could not be more proud and happy to celebrate you and your graduation. I know you’ve been dreading this day. It’s hard to leave a life you love so much, and the people who have made your experience at Oregon so special.
I have to give you credit. You created this happiness for yourself.
Senior year of high school, you lived a 1 to 1 social life. Meaning for every day of being out with friends you needed a day to rot. Fair. A lot of people are wired that way, and I celebrate it with you!
But your freshman year of college, you did something different. You made a commitment to yourself. You recognized that, to enjoy these four years as much as you wanted to, you were going to have to push yourself, especially in the beginning. Rush was no joke. Exhausted and well beyond your 1 to 1 limits, you kept going, in hopes of meeting new friends and jump starting your collegiate life to set yourself up for laughs and good times. You did it. You met these sisters, these friends. You love them and I know they love you too.
One of my favorite videos of you ever is from your 21er. So many of your friends and sorority sisters showed up, and they honestly seemed so genuinely thrilled to celebrate you. Like you were easy for them to love. And I am amazed by that. What makes someone so easy to celebrate? I think I know… you are the most kind, generous, and loving girl. As gorgeous as you are, you are equally thoughtful and sweet. And who doesn’t want to celebrate that? Seeing your friends scream birthday love to you made me cry. Well, you know I’m a crier. You make me cry all the time, I’m so damn proud.
Last little bit… who in the world would have thought you, my somewhat shy, 1 to 1 girl, would end up as Rush Director? Seriously? Not four years ago! And I hope you learned an important lesson. You’ve never yelled or used being mean to motivate. You show up in your sweet way and you can inspire in your own way. Leadership comes in all shapes. I love your shape as a person, as a daughter, as a sister, and as a friend.
You are my everything. I want you home so badly, but I also am incredibly happy you get to soak up all these last moments of college. From your fellow Duck mommy, I love that we will always share a University of Oregon bond. Cheers to you, sweet Lola Elena. I love you to the moon, around the world and back again!