Hey buddy,
How are you doing? How are you holding up?
I know, you have known better days. However, I am very happy about how you hold tight at this moment. Keep going! As a wise man you’ll encounter soon in your life once told me: “Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving… you will come to a better place.” Well, I am pretty glad to have the opportunity to write to you that we indeed came to a better place. Things are not perfect, unsurprisingly, but things are definitely better.
These past few years have been quite stormy. From the moment you live now to this beginning, I have gone through some unusual paths. Through them, I have ascended to heaven and have known hell. It was those successions that led me to have a better relationship with myself, a stronger sense of belonging and a more comprehensive perspective of the world. To be honest, I do not regret having put through that although many experiences have left their marks on me — battle scars as I like to call them. Stronger, wiser and kinder, that is what they made me.
I am still standing.
Oh, have I forgotten to introduce myself? Well, if you haven’t figured out by now, I am you, five years into the future. (Crazy I know, maybe not crazier than 2020). I’m writing to you to let you know that everything is going to be okay. It may not look like it for now but that is the truth. I didn’t become a billionaire, if you were wondering, but I fulfill many of the dreams that you have now. Many things in your life will certainly take some time, but that does not mean they will not come true one day.
The early 20s can seem like a confusing time. In fact, it is the period in your life where you deepen your understanding of your own self and discover who you are. Your uniqueness and peculiarity may unsettle your peers, but that is definitely not a reason to stop being yourself. However, I remember how hard it was to stay true to myself back in the days, so I understand the struggle. I wanted to fit in, to belong, to do what everyone else does, and to be like everyone else.
I knew deep inside a part of me that wanted to express myself, but another part fearing rejection. Just know this, you’re worth it. You have always been worth fighting for and will always be. There is more than one way to look at yourself, choose the ones that makes you feel great about yourself while keeping a look at your blindspots. Work from your strengths rather than always trying to compensate for your shortcomings. We all have an environment where we thrive in, that is where you’ll be at your best.
This letter was not intended to become a patronizing one filled with didactic toned advice from the future. But I felt these words were deeply needed back at those times. I certainly have a lot to tell you, warn you or advise you, but that will protect you from the joy and the pride of discovering them out on yourself. Many mistakes I have made and regretted, but no amount of foretelling can render neither one of us immune to them. What I realize was they will always make a comeback unless I owned them, accepted them, and let them inspire me.
Back onto your day-to-day life however. At this time, you are surely wondering about what to do with your life. Well, quite a simple answer: You don’t have to have it all figured out. Back onto your day-to-day life however. At this time, you are surely wondering about what to do with your life. Well, quite a simple answer: You don’t have to have it all figured out.
Bitter medicine I admit. While it certainly feels good to have everything planned out, letting life have the wheel can lead you to beautiful surprises. What you only need to do is to never run away from a threatening challenge. To make the best out of your youth, take big risks, make mistakes, but always remember to make wonderful memories.
Finally, I would like finish this letter by telling you how smart, awesome and great you are. You turn out to be a great person to be proud despite all of your mistakes and wrongdoings. Every part of you, from the darkest ones to the brightest is worthy of love and acceptance. To reformulate, I love you bud, I love everything that makes you who you are, everything you’re proud of, everything you’re ashamed of, no matter how you’ll turn out to be, I’ll love you. May those words be written forever in your soul.
With love,
Your best bud — You
