Dear Younger Self,
Wow, long time no see, old friend! Although, I guess that is ironic, because technically I am the old friend. I hope this letter finds you well (I know you’re only just discovering email, but man, you just wait to see what the internet looks like in 15 years!)
First, let me answer the life-altering questions that are burning through the forefront of your mind. Yes, the Backstreet Boys still exist in the music world, but no, you’re not married to any of them. Don’t worry, you’ve loved several boy band members since then and ended up marrying a drummer, so you’re not disappointed. Your phone isn’t just for texting anymore – you can play games, surf the internet, even video call people overseas now – but, most importantly, you can watch thousands upon thousands of cat videos! Also, you’re not afraid to cook chicken anymore. Well done.
But, as enlightening as this is, I’m writing this letter for another reason.
You’re going to go through some pretty crazy things in life, Younger Self. The next 10, 15, 20 years is just beautiful chaos. If I told you now the things you would face – and subsequently conquer – you may not even know what to do with that information. And rightly so! There’s a reason why we are not foretold the future. There are approximately 31,205 days in an average lifetime – if we had to handle all of our circumstances that we come across in life all at one time, we would surely melt down. Plus, there is so much to be said for taking situations as they come. We grow in all of our moments – the hard ones and the fly-away ones – while our character is challenged and moulded by the results of our commitment to choice.
Obviously, I would love to fill you in on the last 15 years, but for those reasons, I will leave it up to each day to present in due course.
So why am I writing? Because I can tell you that life as I currently know it is incredible. A lot has happened, a lot has changed; a lot of amazing things, as well as a lot of sad things.
But what you need to know is this: between where you are and where I am, you are going to have to be SUPER BRAVE.
You are going to come across a lot of situations that are hard, forks in the road that require big brave steps, to make calls where you are not entirely sure or only mildly confident. There are going to be days when you will want to throw in the towel, shut the blinds and turn on Daryl Brathwaite’s “Horses” to melt away your troubles.
But don’t.
I mean, definitely play “Horses”, but forget the rest.
Pick up the towel.
Open the blinds.
Get out of bed.
Brush your teeth.
Put on your Brave Pants (they are like Big Girl pants but way less condescending), open your door, run out into your day and face that hard thing.
And those big decisions?
The ones that seem like mountains that you will never get over?
Climb them.
And those hard situations where it would be safer to choose the easier road, for less risk?
Step on up to them and take the road that leads you to where you actually want to be.
There will be days that feel like weeks, and weeks that feel like months, and you will lose hope time and time again. But gritting your teeth and making a call on those hard decisions is what got us from where you are, to where I am.
You can do it!
You did do it – that’s how I got here!
Younger Self, I will tell you one thing. You had a baby last year! And, at the same time, you knocked down your house to build a new one! Remember what you used to think of those two things? Ha! And even though it wasn’t impossible, remember how neither of us could quite see how it was possible? But you know what? I jumped anyway. Yep. I jumped! I just did it! Caution to the wind, I took a risk! I looked at the bigger picture, and thought to myself, “Well, I’m not asking to be a unicorn. I don’t see how it will work out, but I’m 60% on the way to understanding so I will jump in brave faith!” And now, we have a five-month old baby and a beautiful house to grow our little family in.
You know what?
Sometimes you can’t rely on the logical to get you through.
Logical will tell you to do what looks best and safest, but I can’t even begin to tell you how faithful your God is to the impossible and the riskiest. I know you are new to this whole faith in God, but you will see Him work in your life over and over; not only in the small, mundane things, but also in the enormously overwhelming things. He has your best interests at heart, and even in the darkest times, he will always care for you. He will always be there, even as the tiniest, stillest voice amongst the loud parade of life.
Don’t
Lose
Hope.
You’ve got this, Brave One. You may have a lot ahead of you, but you have the ability to conquer and overcome!
I must go now, because the little one is napping and Seinfeld are doing re-runs of their re-runs on TV. And yes, you still love Seinfeld. I look forward to seeing you in 15 years, dear friend.
Love,
Older Self
xxx
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