Dear young one,
It’s me, your older – much older – self and that’s good news because as of today, you will at least live to be 60. So stay in shape, you have a long road ahead of you.
Don’t worry, I will not tell you to stop smoking (Yes, I know about the hidden cigarettes in school) and I will not give you the lottery numbers or other news that might help you on your way either. Let’s not alter the future; I watched enough movies to know, that this could backfire.
I went to a concert just a while back and made a fool of myself. Danced and cheered like I would be 14 again, laughed a lot, and didn’t worry about the people around me. Who cares that I can’t sing? Who cares that I am too tall? Finally, I decided to let go and it felt great. I jumped around for an hour looking like a crazy person and it felt great. Our husband was beside me, and he did the same. Yes, close your mouth, you get married, but it’s not David.
There is a difference between you and me now. You would go to a concert, but you would still worry about what others around you would think. It will take a few more years (decades actually) until you will realize people will still like you – and even love you – if you show them who you really are.
Right now you wish grandma would lift the curfew and you could go out in the evenings. You wish for the American Levi’s jeans and the expensive tennis shoes a girl wore in school. You secretly hope David Cassidy falls out of the poster you have in your bedroom and that you two would fall head over heels in love. I assume it won’t help if I tell you that he is not the one.
At your age, it feels like nobody understands you and you think grandma is too tough on you. You can’t know it, but one day you will miss her dearly and not a week will go by without you thinking of her. Later on, you will understand and treasure what she taught you.
One day you will wish for one more day with her, or one more portion of her sour chicken or her buttercream torte (write down both recipes). Listen to the stories of her life, listen carefully.
I know you love the little village up there in the Alps between Italy and Austria, but I also know you wonder if you might have to spend all your life on the farm. I won’t give you the answer. Just enjoy your surroundings, and breathe in the crisp mountain air. You might want to save money to buy a camera, so you can take some pictures. Don’t worry about the future too much, don’t worry about where you might live. It’s not about where you live, it’s about how you live and with whom. You will understand that later.
You will move and you will travel. You will cry and you will laugh. You will be poor and you will be wealthy. You will have it all, and you will lose it all.
Child, enjoy life and be kind. That’s the only advice I will give you.
Live your life, and live it well. Don’t worry too much about what others think. Continue to study Latin and old Greek, but consider dropping French and learning English instead. Something tells me it might come in handy one day.
Have fun! Be brave! Be you! Make your mistakes and try to remember there will always be a concert to go to and you will enjoy it with the right people beside you.
Everything you are looking for, everything you supposedly lack, you have it in you. Don’t look so much to the right and left, you won’t find anything. Everything you need to become, you already carry within you.
Too philosophical? No! Had I known this at the time (and listened to myself, which I very much doubt), how much time and tears I would have saved. On the other hand, making mistakes is of course part of our journey.
YOUR LIFE WILL BE WONDERFUL
What else would I say? Good old Oscar Wilde comes to mind, “Everything will be fine in the end.”
Yes, it will be! Today I know that.
Have a little patience and trust in your own judgment, I would whisper to my younger self. It’s worth the wait. It’s also worth saying “NO” if something doesn’t fit (whether it’s friends or jobs). You’ll notice on your own when everything fits, and if it doesn’t fit (anymore), have the courage to change it. Even if it hurts.
In the meantime, enjoy the perky boobs now, you will miss those later 🙂
Love,
The older one
Great advice!I wish I had more confidence when I was younger
Most of us lacked confidence and I think that’s a good thing.
What a heartfelt and beautifully crafted letter to your younger self! It’s filled with wisdom, humor, and such genuine advice that only comes from experience and reflection. The blend of light-heartedness with deeper life lessons makes it a delightful read, and the assurance of a wonderful life despite the ups and downs is truly inspiring.
I’m particularly moved by the encouragement to live authentically and embrace life’s journey with all its twists and turns. The suggestion to enjoy the moment and not worry too much about the future is something many can relate to.
Given the rich experiences you’ve shared, what’s one moment or decision you look back on with particular fondness, one that perhaps signaled a significant shift in embracing who you truly are?
In 2009, during the last recession, we lost everything we had and were houseless for a while. It showed me who I am and it showed me what’s truly important. It changed me and made me better, stronger, perhaps even wiser.
loved this blog
Thank you, Anjali.
That is something that hit me in the heart because that is so true thank you I needed to hear that today
Good! I am glad you stopped by. Nice meeting you.
Thank you so much
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing bits of yourself – both the older and younger versions of you! i feel that I saw them both in your piece. Cheers! <3
Thank you for reading and commenting. I am glad you liked it.
Great advice. Thanks.
Wow. What an intriguing idea! I’ve been writing to my future self on the dear future self website for a couple years now, but I’ve never thought of writing to my past self. I guess it never really occurs to me to look back to the past, as I’ve always been taught to keep my eyes on the future. This made me realize how much I’ve grown, no matter the time in between. No matter if it’s my 10-year-old self or my yesterday’s self, I’m always growing and learning. And how wonderful is it to live and learn, to make mistakes and have tough times, but in the end, know, really know, that there’ll brighter days and there will be darker days in which I’ll look back to my brighter days. Anyways, this has really got me thinking. Thank you.
We live life looking forward, we understand life looking back. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by.
Well written!
Thanks
Good advice with enough hints about the future without giving anything away… a perfect letter!
Wow! This is so powerful! Thank you for sharing! ♥️
Thank you for reading.
You not only wrote a heartfelt letter to your younger self but also gave many golden advice to younger ones like me. I am grateful I found your post.🙏😊
Oh, you just made my day. Thank you for the wonderful comment.
I really hope you will look into self defense. Every woman should. Thank you for stopping by.
Such a thoughtful, amusing, sensitive, educational, uplifting, set of advice based on living life with resilience as it comes.
I like all the words you used. “Amusing”, “Sensitive”, “Educational”… thank you, Derrick
A lovely share!
Thank you, Warren.
You’re welcome!
What a wonderful set of advice. Not giving too much away but gently encouraging to make the best of things. Wouldn’t it be marvellous if all youngsters could be given such pearls of wisdom – and listen to them!!
We learn by doing not by listening and so every generation makes the same dumb mistakes and history repeats itself.
However, with age we seem to understand it better. A live our life looking forward, but understand it by looking backward.
It would be marvelous, but then, did we listen?
The agonies of youth – particularly those teenage years!
I was not in agony (I hope) but very curious. I couldn’t wait to become an adult. I guess we always want what we don’t have.
Just curious-what concert did you and your husband attend and let go? Interesting introspection! 🙂
It was a memorial concert for Prince in MN near Paisley Park last year in October. Goodness Nancy, it was almost comical. I am not sure if you know some of his songs, but when “1999” came on and Prince was on sage in a video, all the older people like us unleashed their inner beast. 🙂 (I didn’t know my husband had moves like that lol).
I agree if you show your real side to people, they are gonna like you for your honesty. This doesn’t apply to everyone, but a few will definitely do this. I liked every bit of your advice.
I think when we are young we are trying to please too many (or all) and we are scared that people might not like us. At least I felt that way. Now? I don’t give a hoot. 🙂
Our attitude should be like that. Do what is good for you!
This is Greta advice for your younger self. The best is, Don’t worry too much about what others think. I would tell my younger self that as well. Life is good!
Look around in this world. We are so lucky.
That we are!! xo
I always look upto you. Happy quitter🙏
No need. I am at the same level with you. 🙂
Nice vibes thank you 😊
If only we had taken time to enjoy our youth, instead of rushing through it to get to 16 and a driving license, 21 and the right to drink, 25 and the promise of cheaper car insurance and so on and so on. Right now Mom must be smiling up above, because I finally understand “You’ll understand when you are older.” But you are right, despite the trials and tribulations, its a good life. Have a good weekend. Allan
We think we miss out don’t we. The 16th has no meaning in Europe but the 18th birthday, that’s when you are an adult and you are allowed to drink and you are allowed to drive. The 21st is not meaningful either, it’s an important birthday only by law, when you are officially an adult.
Thanks for sharing this idea Anita