Letters to My Teenage Daughter

Foreword Nine years ago, when my daughters were 3 and 4 years old, I received divine inspiration to write a book called “Letters to My Teenage Daughters”. I chuckled to myself in that moment because their teenage years seemed so far off. I was proud of our accomplishment of finishing potty training and looking at possible pre-schools, not really thinking of what life would be with teenagers in the house. And yet, that moment came upon us quickly. As my oldest daughter, Maya, approached her 13th birthday, I wanted to recognize the occasion in a special way. Influenced by a friend who had created a similar scrapbook for her daughter and remembering my earlier inspiration, this book was born. The idea for a book about womanhood also resonated with me because I have been in the process myself of uncovering what being a woman personally means to me and after years of shifting through the media imagery and stereotypes of women, exploring the foundation of our patriarchal culture and just plain delving into my life experiences and old beliefs, I felt that I had acquired a bit of wisdom to share. I believe that it takes a village to raise a child. As it has been for centuries, the elder women in the “village” teach and model womanhood through their stories and their actions. They serve as mentors to these newly emerging youngers. And in turn, the girls learn about how to care for themselves and others, participate in community life and most importantly how to navigate life’s experiences with honesty, confidence and self-esteem. With this in mind, I asked a bunch of my dearest family and friends to give their advice and share their stories with Maya. What I received back from them was a collection of insightful, inspiring, humorous, touching, vulnerable and wise letters. I was profoundly moved. In reading through our anthology, I realized that the wisdom contained in them is wisdom that is timeless and connects us all in community---regardless of our age, skin color, religion, education, monetary wealth, health and life experience. I also realized that the words contained in the letters written by these women who currently live in America in 2017, are truths that have been passed down throughout the ages. It is knowledge that cuts across culture and is found in the sacred teachings of our world’s major spiritual beliefs. At the core is the fundamental truth that we are ONE. It is our imperative to share our stories with our girls---to let them know that they are not alone. We have been there, felt it, done that and are still moving forward on our individual and collective journeys. As our daughters and nieces and granddaughters and students and young friends enter their teenage years, we must remind them of this. We must support each other. This book is a mixing of our collective wisdom. As you read these letters, please know that they were written for you---substitute your name in the greeting of the letter to feel their power fully. Read one letter a day to savor the words or the whole lot of them in one sitting to let the words flow over you and surround you with inspiration. Whether you are 13, 46, 70 or 101, you can find something to connect to in this book of wisdom. It feels good to have the reminder. We share our letters with love. Namaste. Come my dear sisters and spiritual companions; hug me close in your embrace. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Sikhism Dearest Maya, In places all over the world, girls are celebrated and honored as they journey from young girls to taking their first steps into womanhood. As you turn 13 today, you are now entering this new part of your journey. I want to honor and celebrate you with the gift of this book. What I now know, as a woman who has lived 47 years, is that I am a part of an amazing group---the group called women. As women, we are powerful, intelligent, loving, supportive and creative. We have the innate ability to be both incredibly strong and gentle at the same time. We bring forth life and nurture living things with a delicate and firm love. We are beautiful in all our diversity. This divine femininity that we bring to the world is our greatest gift and now more than ever, our world needs us. This is not to discount or discredit any man, as they are born with a piece of the divine feminine in them too just as we are born with a piece of the divine masculine in us. You have been blessed with many loving and supportive men in your life and for this I am eternally grateful. Your father is a beautiful and kind man who has been my equal partner in our parenting journey and who loves you as much as I do. This collection of letters is my heart filled gift to you. I have asked women from various walks of my life and yours to offer their stories and their wisdom to you. I include my own story after the others. In reading this book, I want you to feel, from the bottom of your heart, that YOU ARE LOVED. Loved as you are, simply by being Maya Joy Strauss--no strings attached. I want you to always remember that you have a community of women around you who have been there before and who stand alongside of you rooting you on, whether it be from close by or from afar. Enjoy reading these letters and pull out this book whenever you may need a reminder that “we’ve got you.” With All My Love, Mom