Yom Kippur

Dear Me,

Tomorrow is Yom Kippur and there are things that I need to say.

First, I want to apologize.

I am sorry for the times when I was too harsh with you; when I said cruel things and made you feel worse.

I am sorry for the opportunities I shut down before they began; because I let my fear get in the way.

I am sorry for the old bad habits that I let linger; because I felt too stuck to let them go.

I am sorry for sometimes not giving you enough time to rest; when I knew you were exhausted.

I am sorry for the boundaries I should have made; the times I should have said no when I said yes.

I am sorry for the moments that I didn’t stick up for you; and the moments I held my tongue when I should have said more.

I am sorry for the times I said too much; I should have kept my thoughts to myself.

And I wanted to thank you--

For the kind things that you did say.

For the opportunities that you took.

For the habits you broke.

For the rest you got.

For the boundaries you made.

For the advocacy you put forth and the moments you chose to stay wisely silent.

For all the ways you considered what it meant to be living.

For the deep breaths and deeper dreams.

For the joy and the patience through the pain.

For the way you survived.

For being ready to enter a new year- with a clean slate.

So we can live all over again.

With love,

Me