By Colleen Akkerman

To my dearest granddaughter Violet,

You are an unexpected miracle in my life. The news of your birth filled me with so much love and joy, and when I think of you, I sense the radiance and fullness of my heart.

You remind me of the joy of having my own baby, your father, and the marvel of watching him grow and develop…and now I’m looking forward to a brand new experience I’ve not had before, at least in this lifetime, of being your grammy…past and present coming together. I see children as a symbol of great hope for the future, and Violet, you are the future!

There is a saying I read some time ago, and it goes something like this:

When the child you love with all your heart,

has a child you love with all your heart,

only then will you know just how grand

being a grandparent truly is.

You are a gift sent to us to love and cherish. I’m excited that I will have the opportunity to teach you things, and indeed, I know that you will teach me a thing or two along the way…of that I’m sure.

I don’t know where the time has gone. You’re already 20 months old, and yet if feels like you’ve been with me since time began. How quickly that time went.

It makes me happy seeing you grow and discover new things. I’ve witnessed you ignoring expensive toys to spend time examining brown leaves, sticks and rocks, ants on the patio, flowers in your back yard. It makes me laugh and brings to mind a memory of your dad playing with the packaging rather than the toys.

Violet, all the people who love you will most likely have big dreams for you…but I want to tell you that the most important thing is that you pursue the dreams you desire. You get to choose the life that makes you happy, whatever that looks like. You just be who you are!

I can promise you this, that I will love you without conditions or expectations. My wish for you is that you grow up knowing that you are loved, protected, and cherished…and that you always feel safe to express yourself.

If you need a warm hug, I have it to give. If you need someone to listen to you, I will listen. I promise to support you with my love and words when you need them. I am your Grammy, and wherever I am, you are in my heart.

My hope for you is that you have confidence to always know your self-worth. That you have the strength to go after your dreams, and that you understand how truly and deeply you are loved.

There are certain ideas I would like to talk to you about…that I want you to know. These letters are going to be an ongoing evolving journey, that we can take together, that will be available for you to read when you get older. Take from it what you will. These ideas are my truths, which doesn’t necessarily mean they will be your truths, but please consider what I tell you, and embrace whatever you resonate with.

My goal in writing these letters is to share my love, support, and wisdom with you Violet, and more than that, I want to share them with every man, woman, and child on this incredible earth. After all, each and every one of us is a grandchild! 

We came from Source…some call it the Creative Intelligence, the Divine, Monad, God, Spirit, or any number of other names.

You, as well as all of humanity, are more than your body. We have a physical body, an emotional body, a mental body, and a spiritual body. We are Divine Beings, and we are all connected, One Heart, One Soul. We each have an individual Soul, and yet we are all connected to a universal Soul. Like tuning forks, we resonate with one another.

We came here to experience life on this Earth. And from our experiences, to gain understanding, and then wisdom. To help evolve not only ourselves, but the planet Earth as well, and yes, even Spirit. Because we are all connected, what you do to uplift yourself, you do for everyone.

Violet, there is only one you. Like snowflakes, each of us is unique…which adds to the beautiful tapestry of Life. God is not outside of us, but is found within us, and is everywhere and in everything.

As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors. I was always amazed at the beauty found in nature, the many and varied designs of crystals and rocks, plants, animals, and humans. I wondered how these came to be. I realized at a young age that there is something so much bigger than me…a greater intelligence that has a super creative and endless Imagination.

I remember looking into the faces of flowers, the eyes of animals, and the eyes of people around me. In them, I saw a light or energy, which I now know as Soul. And Violet, when I look into your eyes, I see your Soul!

 I’m not a religious person, although I grew up in the Methodist Church and it served as a foundation for where I’m at now. I consider myself a spiritual person, and my “church” is nature. Everything is energy, and alive…going out in nature is a place where I can sense that and connect to it.

There are so many thoughts going through my mind right now of what I want to share with you next. Til then Violet, remember that Grammy loves you!