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When You Grow Up

Dedicated to those who are parents, mentors (spiritual children), close friends, or aunts/uncles.

When you grow older, when life takes me away from you and I can no longer care for you, listen to what I have to say:

If you like a blouse, wear it; if you like a skirt, wear it. If you want to cut your hair, do it; if you enjoy putting on makeup, do it.

If you like a song, listen to it; if you enjoy dancing to it, dance. Let no one tell you how to live your own life.

If I could give you three things, they would be: The ability to love yourself and hold your self-esteem high. The strength to pursue your dreams. The understanding that to be happy, you only need to approve of yourself.

I don’t want you to resemble me in the slightest, not even in a single feature.

You are not a continuation of my surname or my way of being.

You are not my appendix, you are much more… You are unique and indispensable.

You will not be what I could never be, nor will I guide you down the paths I wanted to take.

Be everything you want to be, as long as it makes you feel fulfilled: Sell ice creams, sell dreams, buy clouds, challenge life, and don’t follow others; don’t believe what they tell you, just do what you feel like doing.

Be a rudder, never an anchor; be the sea. Be a sunset and a sunrise for all those who observe you.

Thank you for reading.
Dr. Roch