Back in September I followed a prompt to write a letter to 16-year-old me. My mom loved it and wondered what it would be like if I wrote other posts like it. I think she had other types of posts in mind when she said that, but when I wrote that letter I thought it was a rather anticlimactic year to write about. Sixteen was just an ordinary year, but there are other years that I think back on and would probably be more interesting to write about. I hope you will all join me in reflecting on our younger selves and talking to them during November’s theme week!
Dear 19-year-old Crystal,
You will look back on this year as being one of your favorites. If you had to go back in time and relive a year, it would be this one. You’re traveling a lot and finally finishing that book you’ve been writing for a couple of years. You are absolutely loving life.
In the coming years you will have some hard times. You’ll be able to get through them, but they’re coming. You might think this is my way of telling you that as you get older you’ll wish that you could go back to your 19th year, but if you read that first paragraph closely you’ll notice the emphasis on the word “had.” If you had to. Because even though life isn’t as carefree as it is now once you start getting older, you won’t want to go back. (Yep, it’s true what your parents say. As you get older, you really don’t feel the need to go back in time.)
So, what am I trying to tell you? Simply: enjoy this year. Enjoy it and experience and capture those memories. They’ll provide inspiration for your creativity and will provide you with interests that you’ll still love ten years later–interests that will take you to new places, introduce you to some amazing and inspiring people and will put your college studies on a course that you really don’t expect. But it’s awesome.
Enjoy your year, Crystal! It’s going to be awesome.
Lots of love from your older self!
Crystal
What would you say to your 19-year-old self? Leave a comment and I’ll share your thoughts along with a link back to your blog or other social media at the end of the week!
beautiful post! Sometimes I wish we could go back and tell our younger selves all sorts of things!
I would inform my 19 year old self that things were about to make a swift change. The journey of beginning to know and love myself is on the horizon. No longer will I be a single individual, but soon married. There will be a lot of learning and growing. All for the good of making me better. Thanks for sharing your letter to your 19 year old self.
I would tell my 19 year old self to live up the carefree times. Enjoy your sorority sisters and college. Have fun and be less serious because these years are the ones you would willingly go back and do over. A great blessing is coming, and it will seem like a struggle, but the end result would be worth it.
19 was a big year for me, too. I got married and moved into my husband’s house and had my entire Junior year of college. I think, looking back, if I could say anything, it would be “Don’t stress! Just enjoy life the way it is right now without worrying so much about the future!”
Oh gosh… 19 was a tough year for me. I would tell my 19-year-old self that not devoting my time and energy to college would be one of my biggest regrets. That while things were going to work out no matter what, choosing to take college seriously would likely be a game-changer.
Thanks for getting me thinking! Great project!