As children, we imagine the future in very simple ways. We think about the things we’ll own, the fears we’ll outgrow, and the promises we’ll keep to the people we love.
Lately, I’ve wondered what it would feel like to sit across from my younger self and answer those childhood questions honestly. Not with big speeches, but with the truth that comes from living.
Here’s how that conversation might sound:
Younger Me: “Have we stopped being afraid of the dark?”
Present Me: “Not completely. The darkness just changed. Now it’s not the night that scares us, but the uncertainty of tomorrow.”
Younger Me: “Do we buy all the things we once said we’d get when we grow up?”
Present Me: “Some of them, yes. But we also learned that not everything we wanted was as important as we thought. Needs change, and so do dreams.
Younger Me: “Can we travel the whole world now?”
Present Me: “Not yet. But we’ve seen enough to know the world is wide, beautiful, and waiting for us.
Younger Me: “Did we finally give our parents the best life they always deserved?
Present Me: “We’re working on it. And even though it’s not perfect, they see the effort—and that matters.
Younger Me: Do we finally know what we want to be?
Present Me: “We know more now than we did before. And even if it changes again, that’s okay. Life is not one straight road.
Younger Me: “Are we truly happy now?
Present Me: “Happy, yes. Not because life is easy, but because we’ve learned to value small wins, quiet mornings, and simple joys.
This imagined dialogue reminds me of something, growing up is not about checking every box we set to tick as kids. It’s about understanding that some fears fade, some dreams change, and some promises take time.
And maybe if my younger self could see me now, he wouldn’t be disappointed. He might just nod, smile, and say
“We’re getting there.”
If your younger self sat across from you today, what’s the very first question they’d ask?