To the woman I know.

To the woman I know that bears relentless strength and courage. Knowing the true meaning of scared but doing it anyway. Facing the demons that were meant to destroy you and overcoming setbacks that were blessings in disguise. The silent battles you fought that at times left you defeated. But yet here you are, still standing and stronger than ever.

To the woman I know that has witnessed the birth of a new romantic relationship and the death of what was one. You allowed your heart to feel so freely, trusting another person with your bare soul. To honor and understand one's imperfections; looking towards the greater good for it has been said that “love conquers all”. You have felt the beautiful gift of a soul connection, the comfort of a hug, the embrace of a kiss. All while understanding in free will and the choice that a person can walk away at any given moment. And with that you have learned to let go gracefully.

To the woman I know that has moved mountains. Climbed new heights to see a different view. The journey to the top was a true test of faith and perseverance, relying on courage and inner strength. Your fear of falling was replaced with the trust in knowing that you would learn to spread your wings and fly.

To the woman I know that has healed from the past traumas. The wisdom gained from diving into the darkest depths of your soul. The places that would much rather be left alone. Revisiting old wounds so that you may forgive because without forgiveness you were only hurting yourself.

To the woman I know that loves without reason. You feel things that scare you but you rely on the hope of something beautiful blossoming. The butterflies of the first kiss. The late night phone calls and the good morning texts. The warmth of a hand and the gentle security of a hug. Quirky jokes and eye rolling banter. Annoyances when you learned their flaws but you chose to love anyway. Thinking to the future but holding yourself back knowing it is unwritten and somewhere deep down you understand that where you are headed, you must go alone.

To the woman I know that thrives off of creativity and the wonders of the world. Travel makes your heart flutter with happiness like christmas morning as a child. The respect you have for other cultures and diversity. The beautiful songs of foreign languages that while you don’t comprehend, somehow it's understood. Your free spirit that keeps you young and curious for the corners of the map that have not been seen. The trips in your hometown that can feel unfamiliar and the moves to new cities that feel familiar like home.

To the woman that experiences her emotions so deeply it is often mistaken for weakness. You cry when they cry and you feel what they feel. In true respect to yourself, you embrace all emotions with no judgment or shame. You have mastered the art of allowing yourself to bear witness and know that it too shall pass.

To the woman I see and love. You are capable of building your empire. You have the fighting spirit to keep going, keep hustling and keep grinding. You have surpassed some truly scary moments in your life and you wear the scars of your battle wounds so proudly.

You own your story by choosing when a chapter is done and knowing when to begin a new one. The future is yours for the taking; go with it where you will. Climb that new mountain. Fall in love with that new soul. Move to that new city. Take that new risk.

To the woman I know.

I see you.

I love you.

And I am truly proud.