If you are familiar with Brad Paisley, he wrote this song called "Letter to Me" (listen to it here) and I started thinking about what I would say to myself at age 17.
I think it would go something like this:
Dear Me,
Yes, it's really me, a grown up version of you. I can prove it's me - just ask me what your driver's license number is. For some strange reason, I still have it memorized. I couldn't remember my ATM card pin today at the grocery store but I can remember my first driver's license number.
Here's the scoop. You're going to get accepted to Ricks College, BYU and San Jose State University. Go to BYU. They won't let you in as a full-time student when you are 23 years old. Also, if you go there right out of high school, you'll probably LOVE it way more than you will at 23 just home from a mission.
Spend more time with your cousins. In a few years you're going to really miss them. Especially Elizabeth. Spend more time with Lizzy. Oh, and when Tricia makes fun of your singing, don't take it personally. Some day soon your going to find your true voice and it sounds pretty when you sing.
Diet Coke and Doritos are NOT a healthy way to start your day. You may think so now, but the future will find you with a sensitivity to caffeine and if you don't drink it now, you won't miss it so much when you are 38 years old.
Stay away from boys named Matthew, Mark and John. That boy, Matt? Don't spend another minute worrying about whether or not he likes you. If you stop now, you''ll avoid the heartache he'll cause at ages 18, 19, 20, 21, 23 and 24. Still be friends with him though. He will need the love and support of everyone that knows him. At age 28, you'll meet Shane and you will love each other for a season. You're going to really be heartbroken when he doesn't want to get married. It will be okay though. Your heart will heal.
Read more books. Chemistry and Algebra are just a means to an end. It's true. You will never need them once you leave high school. Good choice with the Spanish though. It's really going to come in handy when you serve a mission in Guatemala. Oh, yeah - you might want to find out where that is BEFORE you get your mission call!
Finally, don't try to grow up so fast. There will be plenty of time for that. Figure out what you want to be when you grow up before you actually grow up. Don't rush things. Life goes too fast as it is. Working isn't all it's cracked up to be. Trust me on this one.
Oh, and when you're in your late thirties, stay from anything called a "100-calorie pack"...
With love from your 38-year old self.
5 comments:
Cute letter. Good advice. Too bad you can't take it. But I guess you can learn from it.
I'm amazed! Still remember your first drivers license #?? Wow. I can't remember my current one. Oh, yeah, or my ATM pin #. I'm pretty sure the lady at Walmart once thought I was trying to use a stolen card...
Excellant advice. Sometimes it would be so much easier to go back and make all the right choices.
LOVE THIS!!!!!
Not sure what I loved more the letter or the song. Ok, it was definitely the letter. Oh it brought back some memories. We should all write a letter like that... and then another one to our selves today from our 80 year old selves... boy what a way to put things into perspective. Thanks for teaching me something today! I love you my friend.
What a great idea. I loved this. I think I'll write one of my own.
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