Dear September (and god and love and future me),  

I wanted to share something really close to my heart with you today. It’s about learning to be your own best friend, showing yourself grace, and finding love for who you are—flaws and all. We all have our ups and downs, but here’s the thing: we deserve the same love and kindness we’re always giving to others. Rachel!! Look where you are today. Look who you’ve become my sweet one. Look how you know how to have grace for yourself and for life and all of it’s ups and downs. I’m wildly proud of you and you would be too if you could see you how i see you. In fact, you would only be proud. You’d be so proud that you’d want to scoop precious you up in loving arms and just rock you like the tender child that you are. As I reflect on the journey leading up to this, I’m reminded of the importance of letting go, trusting the process, and being gentle with ourselves.

This album, which came out a few days ago, means so much to me. It's a testament to all the dark moments, the joy, and the peace that came with embracing vulnerability.When you were two days from releasing that body of work (your first album in seven years!!) to the world I wanted you to remember what I told you last time about the word release. In its very essence, it was telling you what to do. Release it! Don’t cling! Don’t clench or fight or squeeze it or twist. Don’t hold on in fear, and don’t try to protect it or yourself from the heart of the world. I orchestrated this so beautifully you wouldn’t even believe it, and there is so much joy up ahead. But first, I needed you to let go and let it all be. Let it flow into my arms so I could give the world our songs—the ones we created together on those impossibly dark and terrifying nights. You cried out for mercy, and I turned it into a song of pain and joy. You had panic “attacks,” and we wove them into music. You calmed and soothed yourself and cried out for me, and we sang and played you through that too.And then you surrendered, my beautiful girl, and that was my favorite part! That was when I knew you would be soft enough for me to enter your heart forever. And then you felt me there—my presence always and forever where it was and will be for eternity! And you felt powerful! And strong and confident and like you didn’t give so many f’s anymore about what anyone might think. And we wrote such a good one about you setting yourself free. That’s why I don’t want you to worry or cling or judge or be afraid. Though of course rachey you may! You may because you’re human and you’re allowed to have your feelings. But just trust me. It’s going to be fun too. That’s the part you’re not anticipating.
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You already suffered and struggled and now it’s just release. A release. No more fight my little fight song girl. Just release and freedom and riding the waves of this human life filled with emotions.

Be confident my love. Be proud. I am, so very very proud.

Love,
September and god and love and future you
and all of life loving you little one.