I was chatting with my cab driver tonight and he was asking me about myself and where I came from. In the short amount of time he was driving me, he asked if I had children and when I said no, he was surprised and spent the rest of the ride asking why not.
Earlier in the day, a friend of mine had asked me "if I could tell my 16-year-old self something, what would it be?" At the time, I was stumped. There were so many different things I could think of about the person I would become and the world that was waiting for me. After my encounter with my inquisitive cabbie however, I knew what I wished I could have told her.
There is no one way to live your life. The world is a beautifully diverse place, full of billions of different ways to live, love, and make a difference. If you haven't heard yet about all the incredible people, and especially incredible women, changing the world, just wait. Soon you'll learn about incredible athletes like Abby Wambach, about activists like Malala, leaders like Jacinda Arden, maybe even someday you'll see the first woman become a US president.
To all 16-year-old girls wondering like I was, if the future ahead of you holds a box or a closet that you won't quite fit in, don't give up and don't give in. There are so many ways to live your life. And you'll find yours.
