By Amy Kumar
From the day you are born, the world may seem like it is pitted against you and I will fight so hard for that not to be true. I wish for you to look up to the sky and see endless possibilities with no one to hinder you.
When you are in preschool, they will ask you what you want to be when you grow up and do not hesitate to say what it is. There is no such thing as a "man's" job and do not let anyone fool you otherwise.
When you start kindergarten, a little boy may call you names and pull on your hair. But, do not ever mistake that for love. Love is not nasty names and bruises. Do not let them say it is.
When you enter grade school, you may realize you are not like the other girls and they may call you names. Don't fear, you're only a caterpillar now and one day I promise you will become better than any butterfly they could ever be.
At the same time, I hope you do not grow up to pick on that little girl with the speech impediment, or the little one with "weird" clothes. If you girls do not have each other's back, then who else will?
Middle school will be hard. It is a time of ugly in between's and a transition into a different world full of puberty and emotions. It will also be the first time you realize that your gender will affect your actions and the way people treat you. I want you to try to keep your head up high and find love in yourself.
In high school, you will battle between academics and acceptance. Do not let the latter win. They will learn to love you no matter who you are and in the end, your intelligence matters more. People are cruel, but try to find the good in everyone. No one likes a bitter soul.
You're an adult now. Your innocence shattered. Sadly, you will be used to the catcalls of disgusting men. The fear you feel when you walk down an empty dark road will soon become your reality. Your fingers will grip your friend's arm at a party as you fear for your safety. You will be let down by that boy who will only care for your body. You will find out that many value beauty over brains. You will feel your appearance be held up over your head with standards that are utterly unreachable.
You will be compared to the models and actresses with unattainable goals. You will hate the girl that is perfect but sympathize with her for she may be going through the same things you are. You will find yourself hating every inch of your body but I hope that on that day you will come and find me. I hope that you do not leave your goals for any man and I hope you rise above it all.
You will be amazing.
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Amy Kumar is a pre-med student at Baylor University and also a Certified Medical Assistant who lives in the Washington D.C area. She hopes to inspire south Asian women to live up to their dreams and advocate for their rights, whether it may be, loving their skin color or fighting for equality. She stands right with them. She also loves to dance both Bollywood and classical Indian forms and enjoys baking and watching Netflix.You can follow her on Instagram at haroldand_kumar
This post was originally posted on Brown Girl Magazine. Click here to read more!