Dear readers, today I am thrilled to introduce you to a wonderful idea that my friend, Amy Lockheart came up with. It is a series of blog posts called ‘Letters to Our Daughters‘ written by 10 women, mothers, friends and photographers (including me).
I feel incredibly honoured to be included with these talented ladies. After you read my letter to my 6 year old daughter below, head on over and read Julia Stotlar’s letter to her daughter. And once you read hers, you will be linked to another beautiful letter, and from there to another till the circle of letters is completed. I cannot wait to read them and see all the beautiful photographs. From Minneapolis to Seattle, Abu Dhabi to Australia, we might all be at different stages in our journeys as mothers but at the end of the day, what a mother feels for her child is universal.
Amy Lockheart | Jess Sandagar | Sarah Cornish | Kirsty Lamour | Valeria Spring | Emma Wood | Julia Stotlar | Jody McKitrick | Stephanie Beaty
For many of you, this will be your first visit to my blog. Welcome and thank you for being here.
xo, Rashmi
My sweet baby girl,
On Friday I leave for a girls weekend with my high school friends. Maybe I told you about this too many days in advance because now you are very anxious and worried. You are desperately sad and say you are going to miss me terribly. You have marked the calendar to know exactly when I will return. Your Daddy has fun plans for you this weekend and I know you won’t really have time to think about me, except at bedtime. You wonder who will gather you up in their arms if you get a booboo and who will snuggle and sing to you at night. You say that Daddy doesn’t know ‘Moon River‘ or ‘Edelweiss’ (Hedelweiss as you call it). No baby, he doesn’t but he does know how to cuddle you and wipe away your tears.
Sometimes I think people don’t understand people like us baby girl. In the same way that they brush away a child’s fears (‘don’t be silly!‘), they brush away a grown-ups fears too. I know all about missing, because I still miss you every single day when you go to school. I give myself five minutes to be sad and then get up and face the day and get busy with living life. Once in a while I allow myself a good cry.
I worry about not being able to come back home. Airplanes never gave me anxiety before you two came along. But I wouldn’t be a very good teacher if I told you to face your fears, but did not do the same for mine. So I am facing my fears, I am promising myself to have a very good time with my friends, giving myself five minutes a day to desperately miss you, your sister and Daddy and spending the rest of time just living this beautiful life. I want you to do the same and before you know it, I will be back to tuck you into bed at night.
Winnie the Pooh said it best : “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”.
xoxo, Mummy
PS: Your big sister suggested that she should take a photo of you with me.. something for you to have in case you are missing me too much while I am gone. You don’t really care if I am in my pajamas and that my hair is unbrushed.. so I don’t think I should care either. 
14 Responses
such beautiful sentiments, from a beautiful mama. love your words and your heart. makes me look forward to the days ahead with my baby girl. xo
Rashmi, this is beautiful – I love that you included a Pooh quote – I hope your little sweetie has an amazing weekend thanks to the strength of her Mummy’s words – and that you do too xx
After my mother died last year, I was taxed with packing, dispensing, and just generally “dealing with” all of her stuff. In her 86 hears of life,she kept every single piece of correspondence ever written to her. I doled them out to the writers and got some curious responses. I don’t think everyone likes to face their once young and foolish self. In the middle of all the rubber banded sets of letters was a tiny note in her handwriting. It was an old yearbook quote from the turn of the century. I can’t quote it exactly – but it basically said to “think of me with laughter and if you can’t, then don’t think of me at all.”
It was a gift. I’ve thought since (as have my children) of burying notes all over the house for those people I care about to find when they are grieving…. Letters to our children are one of the best gifts.
Jan, i admit your note made me a little weepy. Some of my post treasured possessions are the letters that my Dad writes to me sometimes. I think hand written letters are akin to film photographs (not digital)… they have a piece of the person’s soul etched into them. My grandfather had such beautiful lettering.. seeing his diaries instantly brings me back to seeing him my mind’s eye.. meticulously entering his daily notes and expenses into his diary. Letters and photographs.. they go hand in hand. xo
Oh I just love this, Rashmi. Thanks for sharing.
Rashmi, I knew you would be perfect for this project. Every time I read your blog I think, “I wish I had said that to my children.” I feel the exact same way about airplanes and facing your fears. It’s why I finally got on airplane in Sep after many years of not flying. You are such a wonderful example for your girls. (Oh, and mine and Jake’s wedding song is “Moon River” so I expect you to sing it to us someday. LOL. xo)
Oh Rashmi this letter will be treasured by your beautiful girl for the rest of her life. I love how tender your words are, I can tell what a special relationship you two have. All mother-daughter relationships are special, I knwo that, but in your words I can feel something so sweet and deep and just plain perfect! You are going to have such an awesome time and will come back to her as an even better Mamma than you already are. It’s healty to go away every now and then, but I hear you, it’s not easy to think about it. Have the time of your life! I’m sure your girls will have a blast with Daddy and he’ll do his best to fill in for you. xo
Rashmi, what a beautiful letter to your sweet girl and the image of the two of you together is so heartwarming…unbrushed hair and all :) I’m so happy to be on this journey with you (and my dad used to sing Edelweiss to me when I was a little girl, it’s a favorite of mine). I wish you safe travels and a wonderful time with your friends!
Jodes and Julia : i will be happy to sing in my very melodic voice (not!) Moon River and Edelweiss to you both. heehee.
Rashmi, I adore the way you write – straight from the heart, exactly as you said it should be. I cried reading it and I will probably do so every month. <3
I knew I would love your letter and I most definitely do. Such beautiful and powerful words you’ve written for your precious girl. The depth of her feelings as she misses you is a testament to what a wonderful mother you are. Take time to miss your family, as you said, and then enjoy your time away. You’ll definitely come back refreshed and ready to smother those girls in kisses and hugs! xoxoxo
so beautiful. thank you for sharing :)
Love it! Having no daughters–I think I will steal this for my boys:). Thanks for sharing. As always–you always make my eyes well up. Winnie the Pooh was a wise character.
Your daughter is just a complete angel and I LOVE the two of you in that last one! I seriously love that you posted it that much more! I used to hate being in photos but have tried to be better for my littles as even though I see a hot mess when I look at myself they see only me, their mama! I LOVE your letter to your little girl. I know its so hard to leave them. Its funny sometimes I pine for a night out with my husband and then can’t let myself go to enjoy myself because I am so stressed about the kids back home so this is such an important reminder! Hugs honey!