"The other day, as my 18 year old brother walked out the door for an evening out with friends, my mom encouragingly called after him,
“Remember Who You Are.”
It made me smile, and brought me back in time to the many moments that I heard those words spoken to me. Today, I hear them less often, but once in a while, at moments that call for more courage, strength, and virtue, those words lovingly reassure me that the very essence of me is good and that I am capable of being fully alive and fully good, if I remember who I am.
In years past, not only did these words remind me of how important it is to represent myself and my family well, as I have been lovingly formed by my parents and nurtured by my surroundings, but they also spoke to me of the truth that I am, at the core of my being, created to be truly human. In light of this “true humanity”, I, along with the rest of humankind, am in my very nature designed to Be love, to Be Goodness, and as such to Be fully Human...
So, today, as you go about your daily tasks and face your daily realities, truly live each moment reminding yourself to
“Remember Who You Are.”
+
— Eve Christianson*
When I read these words a few years ago, I never forgot them. I absolutely knew immediately that they are the fundamental value in every child's identity. Everyone has his or her origin story, for better or for worse. My story is not your story. But it's my own.
"Remember who you are, child." God's. This family's. Your own. No matter what other's believe, say or do to you...in your innermost core, you are more.
I pictured my own rebel years...flashy parties, scant outfits, late nights in gorgeous cars and loud clubs with beautiful people and too much to drink and feel and be...and then later weeping through the night thanks to the void I felt deep within my heart. "Remember who you are" is what I needed to hear in those moments...I belonged to someone and somewhere...even if my lifestyle screamed otherwise. We need to hear those words in the depths of our soul, reminding us that there is another way. Our hearts need to be restless so they can search for rest in truth identity as royalty.
It took me years to reclaim my crown, and I bet you know someone who is lost today. Remind them of their inner worth...remind them who they are...ROYAL.
+
With younger children heading back to school and older ones going off to college for the first time, and unfamiliar restrictions in place due to our current pandemic, more than ever our children need to be rooted in who they are at the very core. Their identity and sense of belonging is a truth they can hang onto despite the many changes and transitions natural to life and added pressure of global uncertainty. Love them into their identity and speak up about their royal dignity.
So that...
When she takes off the layers of makeup at night or he comes home after a wild momentary ride, or your little one takes her first steps into a whole new adventure or he feels the pressure to achieve/pass/win, or she faces the juggle of children distance learning with working a full time career, or he loses his job through another round of layoffs...your beloved child can grasp at what really matters, who she and he are within, to God, to you and to themselves: royalty.
To our uniquely beautiful royalty,
+
Purchase a reminder for your kids going off to college or even for yourself HERE.
*We are honored to be able to repost this incredible quote from our friends, the Christiansons. This blog post first appeared on the Dighu blog for Digital Humanity in 2013, but it made such an impact on our hearts then, we remember it today...you can read the full post there. 
