My little sister Jasmine recently graduated from high school, and it made me all emotional. It was wonderful to celebrate her, but I also found myself reflecting on how different I pictured what my life would be like when I finished high school. So today, I had a desire to write a letter to Jasmine that she might be able to read a few years from now.
Why not a letter to myself? Well, I did have that inclination, but when I went into the archives of my personal blog, I wrote one when I got into the MFA program. Maybe I'll reflect on it a little at the end of this, but for now, I'm going to focus on Jasmine.
Dear Jasmine,
You made it! I know you wanted to give up a million times, but you have finally finished high school. You might not believe me, but I think that life is going to get a lot better from here.
For starters, college allows you a bit more freedom than grade school ever did. You'll be able to choose what classes you take, and what time works best for you (we both know the morning has no appeal to you). I know you're overwhelmed by the options and possibilities, but I think you should trust your gut. You should pursue what you feel interested in, even if you're afraid of the impacts of being in a "male-dominated" field. The world is changing, and I'm hoping for the better, even if you have your doubts. I think I have enough hope for both of us.
Something I know you're excited about is coming to live with me. I remember the impact I had moving out for the first time; as great as it was, I moved home too soon because I found myself missing the family and coming home all the time anyway. Hopefully moving in with me can help ease that a little. We're going to have a bunch of food adventures (from trying out resturants to cooking meals in the kitchen) and you will have someone to keep you accountable, because I will probably force you to study with me. It's all going to be a good, fun time though. All with love, of course.
For you, I think that the most useful advice that I can give is to take everything one day at a time. I know that sometimes you become overwhelmed by what is going on in your brain, but I think that is because you are thinking a lot about the future of the world and what impact you might have on it. Breathe, and take it one step at a time. Baby steps go a long way. You'll make an impact whether you mean to or not.
These are the years I want to make sure you don't regret or forget; there are times I wish I had done more or I probably don't remember because I didn't sleep enough. I'm going to apologize here and now in case I end up being a little too pushy, because that instinct might drive me to do so. No matter what, when you read this in a few years, maybe some of these words will resonate with you. And that by that point, I will have taken you to see some possums and manatees.
All my love, always,
Kristi
5 Highlights From My Letter to My High School Graduated Self
So my letter is a year old, but I think it is fair to respond/reflect on what I wrote, and there are some great highlights. I'm cringing a little at myself, but if you want to reference and follow along, you can click on this link to read the whole thing. It is only a year old, but I think it ages well.
"But looking back from the perspective of your 25-year-old self, your confidence has come so much from other people telling you that you're worthy. I'm telling you that there is so much inside of you for you to love and be proud of, even if you don't recognize all of those things yet."
"Trust your intuition; just because they love you does not mean they know what is best for you."
"... the mistakes were important to make because we learn from them... But it's okay, because things get better, and we grow from the mistakes that you made."
"...most of the things that make me happy right now couldn't have been planned."
"Don't miss out on things out of the fear of looking stupid. There is so much life to live. I know it's hard, but relax and let everyone see the real you."
Looking back, I hope my letter to Jasmine ages as well as the one that I wrote a year ago. What do you think? Have I missed something that high school graduates should know? Or do any of these things resonate with you? Let me know in the comments, and if there is anything you would like to see more of.