Dear Future Me,

It's about 7 o'clock on November 14. The end of an ordinary day. And the beginning of the rest of your life. I know it’s beyond cliched to the point it’s nauseating to say that, but it’s true. You’re young, you’re healthy, you’re driven, you’re enthusiastic, you’re happy, you’re beautiful inside and out.

Maybe these last seventeen years haven’t been everything you’d hoped for, and maybe you haven’t had your fairy tale dream come true. And maybe you’ve had your heart broken, and maybe there are too many things to count on both of your hands that you regret. But that’s okay. It’s okay because you can look back on how far you’ve come, how much you’ve accomplished, and how much you’ve learned and you can say to yourself, “This is me. This is who I am. I’m proud of that, and I’m not changing for anyone.” And maybe there have been more hard times than you wish you recount, more crushing blows and times of anguish than you wish to recollect, but hiding amongst those shadowy memories, there are so many bright and glittering gems to cling to. Find that positivity and hang on to it. Because even in the hardest of times, there is always something beautiful waiting for you on the other side. Always remember that. You don’t have to be a sunshiny ball of joy oozing with kittens and rainbows and bunny rabbits every single day of your life. You’re allowed to curl up in a ball and just cry for hours when you’ve had something you care about taken away from you. But always remember that your life is what you make it. If you make your life miserable, it will be. Positivity is a state of mind. Embrace it, channel it, become it.

Please don't freak out when they finally figure out what's wrong with you. At least you know. Embrace it, love it, be grateful for it.

Please treat Roy better. He's going to be with you forever, and he doesn't deserve to be treated wrongly. He loves you, and you know it. Treat him with respect, tell him you love him, show him everyday. Thank him for being there with you through everything. Love him. Please be more supportive of him. He loves basketball, he loves you. Let him figure out the balance. Don't make him choose between you. He will figure it out, I know it; just give him time.

Please tell your children you love them, everyday, when they're being so frustrating, when you want to knock their heads together, please just love them. You know what it's like to not be loved, and don't ever do that to your children. Ever.

Please stop and smell the roses every once and a while. I know life can be busy, but it's worth it to just stop and breathe.

Never forget who you are. Never ever ever.

You’ve overcome so many obstacles and accomplished so much in your lifetime, and I’m so proud of you. You’re living your life the way you want and you’re chasing your dreams. There’s no shame in that, and don’t you ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

And maybe you’ve been afraid to go outside of your comfort zone. It’s scary, and it’s nerve-wracking, and you know yourself: you know you don’t like either of those things, and you know you hate being put into situations you can’t control. But you have to do those things. You have to take that leap. You have to reach for what you want and take it, because no one is going to give it to you arbitrarily. You can’t be afraid of failure, or of making mistakes. You have to go in there with your head held high assuming the best. Be confident. Be fearless. Be strong. Be positive. Be you.

You don’t have to accomplish the world. But give your 110% in everything that you do, every single day, every single hour, every single minute. Take tiny steps, and eventually there will be miles and miles behind you.
Just remember I love you. Even when all else fails, I love you. Smile. Be brave. This is your wake up call. You are freakin’ fantastic. Go out there and show the world.

Love,
Meghan, Age 17.