For the immigrant girl

The dreams are endless.

She spends so much of our time nursing others that she forgets to serve herself. She is a mother to her younger siblings, caretaker to her friends, and assistant to her mother before reaching sixteen. She carries the weight of her internal wants, hoping and dreaming for the time when she will be free to focus on herself, but it takes time to get to that point of independence. She doesn’t get the chance to learn how to obtain the level of self-care that would allow her to go after her dreams.

Sometimes, she finds the rhythm that will lead her to herself when she finally understands to put herself first and reach to seize the moment, but she is drawn back in by the shackles around her ankles. The guilt of letting her mother down holds her back, the comfort and familiarity of being the support system give her a high that she can’t get anywhere else. It is easier for her to help others than to continue to help herself.

For her, the biggest lesson is to discover self; to be in tune with her wants and desires from outside influence. To balance her dreams with the desire to be in service to others. To learn to branch outside of the confines of culture to explore what greatness she could be if she invested more time on herself. A moment apart from the confines of what is comfortable is the recipe for growth and self-discovery. Let go of the guilt, worry, and shame; nothing is more natural than being you. The dreams are endless.