While reading through ericvancewalton 's TimeTravel101 and lizelle's post, Letter to my 20 year old self (both amazing posts), an idea occurred to me – I wanted to write such a letter, but could not.
Because I'm only 18. So, even if I do write a letter to my 20 year old self, it's still more than a year away. A future me.
But 20 is quite a close number, and I figured, since I was toying with the idea of writing a letter to my future self, why not stretch it a bit more?
I chose 50 because it's quite far away (or so it seems) and I'm pretty sure I'll be much different then. I'm sure I will have forgotten many things I know now.
I'm not saying, with this post, that the present me couldn't benefit from some advice from me in the future. I'm just saying that maybe my future self could gain a few things from right-now-me:
Dear 50 year old ME,
Hi!
I can't help but wonder what life has brought you, about all the things that have happened and I have a nagging urge to inquire how everyone's doing.
As for me, I am well. I look forward to the future. I believe that I can take on the world. I believe I am lucky, usually because of small things that have happened to me, but I believe that. Often, in times of uncertainty, I tell myself that I will be fine, 'cause luck is on my side.
Are you still writing? Even more important, are you still reading? I do hope you haven't become one of those lazy people who hasn't finished a book in ten years. Perhaps it seems silly, but it's one of my greatest fears.
Had to get that out of the way.
I think the world is good, I think that despite all the bad things that happen in this world, there is an inherent goodness in people that will prevail. What do you think?
My plans for the future are:
I'm going to travel the whole world, see everything there is to see (or as much as I can) and I'm going to chase moments, not things. I'm going to build memories in all four corners of the world.
I'm going to do things that frighten me, because that makes me feel alive. I like adrenaline. I like to do things I'm not sure are going to turn out well, I like to have that small moment of doubt. I like to dare.
I like to test my limits.I'm going to fall in love like there's no tomorrow, because I want to feel everything. Both the good and the bad.
Right now, my working motto is a sort of YOLO, although I hate these modern abbreviations.
YOLO means You Only Live Once, in case you're old and senile and have forgotten this (sorry, I couldn't resist cracking a joke about your age. But, if you're anything like me, you'll have a pretty good sense of humor).
But really, it's what pushes me, whenever I doubt if I should do something, go somewhere, say what I'm thinking, you only live once.
Please buy the concert tickets. I know I am, because I don't know where you are and I plan on having fun, as long as I am in control. I believe in FUN. Big time. I tend to lean on the hedonistic side, I think one of our main reasons to be is to enjoy our lives, to have fun, to do what makes us happy and gives us pleasure.
And I hope to God you haven't become one of those boring old people who doesn't remember how to have fun and only lives to pay bills and die or whatever.
(old people= folks who don't have any fun, has nothing to do with age. Age is just a number)
Also, I found this note from last year (even younger ME) and thought you might like it:
26.08.2016
I haven't lived much yet, but from all the smiles and the memories and the pain and the tears and the fabulous, larger than life happiness and the heartbreak, I would not change a bloody thing. Life is the best deal you can get in your time here, so never be truly, completely sad whilst you're alive.
I love you. So, so much.
18 Year Old ME