[Adventures] In Saying Things That Need to Be Said

Episode 1: In case you need to hear this... 

[Adventure 310]

A friend asked, "Are you proud of me?" 

I wanted to respond, "Of course, I'll always be proud of you!" but I didn't feel like that was enough. I wanted him to know why I'm proud of him and what I'm proud of him for. And so I responded:

I'm proud of you. I'm proud of your honesty through your struggles. I'm proud of your striving to do better, be better, and get better, whatever that looks like for you. I'm proud of your kind, loving heart and the way you share your love and kindness with others. But even without all that, I'd still be proud of you for continuing to exist despite your struggles. Would I be prouder of you if you went to college or had a higher paying job or any of those things? Absolutely not. I'm proud of your heart. And that's what matters.

So, in case you need to hear this ...

I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you for existing. I'm proud of you for choosing to live today. I'm proud of you for getting out of bed, even if it was just to go to the bathroom or the fridge and climb right back in. I'm proud of you for loving, even though it might break your heart; for being kind, even if your kindness is not returned; for doing the helpful things you do, even if no one notices or seems to care. I'm proud of you for being you. No lack of educational experiences or accomplishments or wealth will ever affect how proud I am of you because those things don't matter. You matter. And I'm proud of you.