My despair, my tidal wave of deep dread, truly lies in the heartbreak of the greatest love affair of all—the love affair you have with yourself.

A poem by Kelsey Cadahia-Frankel, age 13.

The strength of womanhood, shared. The strength in gaining wisdom, earning respect, and growing up. And at the same time learning that it is okay to not always feel strong.

I’ve observed that gender greatly affects the kinds of compliments my children receive.

Since their dad is a huge baseball fan, my girls have grown up watching a lot of baseball.

But mostly to realize that I, her mother, the one who was supposed to nurture and protect her, am part of the reason she has reached this place of darkness.

My daughters’ generation is lucky. For the most part, Dads are completely involved in their kids’ lives like my husband is.

I will continue to work on me, push myself to new limits a if only to show my daughters all that women are capable of once they set their sights on something.

I am to support her dreams and help her discover how to reach them. There is no reason that she can’t do what she aspires to and I need to make that one thing very clear today.

Perhaps the observation that someone is old should be considered a crown of glory, a thing of beauty, rather than a slight.