I love you Michelle Obama

Dear Michelle,I love you. I know those are strong words, but they are long overdue. It’s been four years since you came into my life and onto my TV screen, and our relationship is far past the stage of awkward first dates. From your impeccable taste in clothing to your work as the First Lady of the United States, you are an inspiration.Michelle, you have embraced your role as First Lady with verve and grace. I know you always refer to yourself as “Mom-in-Chief,” but you are so much more than that. You work to support service members and their families with the Joining Forces organization, and your Let’s Move! campaign is fighting childhood obesity.As a high school senior applying to college, I can only look at your educational background with a potent mix of jealousy, respect and awe. Princeton University undergrad and Harvard Law? Quite frankly, you rock.I knew my love for you was real when you spoke at the Democratic National Convention just a few weeks ago. It could have been your candor that shone— in a room full of politicians pushing agendas; you clearly believed in every word that you said. Perhaps it was the intelligence behind your sentences, or the message you always send: We can do this. Yes, we can.“Let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation,” you said, and I swear, I got goose bumps.You stood onstage in a pink dress, your biceps flexing as you reminded the crowd of why they voted for Barack Obama four years ago. I know all the political analysts said your speech was written with the goal of making the public fall in love with your husband once more, but I fell in love with you all over again. Your husband may be the President of the United States, but you are independent in your identity, working on your own for the issues you stand for.You are the clichéd independent woman personified. You are Rosie the Riveter and your good friend Beyonce, the mom next door and a powerful activist. When I grow up, I want to be just like you.Yours,AlizaAliza AbarbanelCulture Editor