It’s amazing how much life changes within a day, a week, a month, and especially a year. As a freshman in high school my English professor made us write a letter to ourselves only to be opened in four years. I think she wanted some Freedom Writers type of deep stuff in the letter but I wrote some pretty basic stuff. The details are interesting but even more interesting are what I chose to write about. The things that I thought were important at the time. I wrote about my favorite foods at the time, what classes I liked, who my friends were, and who I was dating among other things.
Four years later, my prof mails me the letter. Of course by then I had forgotten I wrote a letter four years ago so it was really a blast from the past to get that letter. Before I even read it I noticed how my handwriting had changed. Is that weird? Does handwriting change over time? Anyway, I didn’t recognize half the names in the letter. We’re not friends anymore nor acquaintances. I’ve lived in several different houses, cities, and states since my freshman year of high school so that’s understandable. The guy I was dating at the time I’m obviously still not with. I can’t even remember the grades I got in those classes.
But at the time those things were so important. Not to belittle the impact they had on my life because they made that period of my life fun and the grades got me to where I am now, etc, etc. But it’s interesting how things you think are so incredibly important to you at one moment in your life are just a faint memory later.
The point? Well I’m not sure if there is one but if there were it could be a) don’t take things too seriously because in a year or even a month or a week you won’t care or remember whatever it is. or b) just do what you have to now because in the future you won’t remember it anyway but it will get you to where you want to be.
So my advice to you out there is write yourself a letter that you won’t open for four years. Yes. Four years. This is hard because where are you going to put a sheet of paper and remember it four years later? You could email yourself. Write the letter and put it in a safe if you have one of those. (I have to admit I don’t know anybody with a safe but still…) Or just write a word document and don’t open it for four years. Name it “Letter To Myself – Open on November 6th, 2013.” Or use FutureMe.org. Maybe I should have mentioned this first. You write yourself a letter and choose the date you want it sent to you (via email) and they send it to you on that date! Magical!
Trust me. It’s an interesting experience. Write everything. Even things that don’t seem important now. Write how the shower head in your current apartment has horrible water pressure. Talk about your current job, where you want to be in four years, and things like that. When you open it in four years it will either be sobering to see that you’ve done pretty much nothing in four years or exciting to see that you accomplished some things and that you’ve matured. Either way. Enjoy.
I'm definitely going to be doing this. Thanks for the suggestion
I did this freshman year of highschool then got it right before I graduated. I still have it and it's hilarious how I lectured myself about working hard and my friends. I read it senior year thinking wow I I was kind of neurotic at 13.
ha I wasn't bold enough to type my letter on here but it's pretty funny as well
wow…that's cool..im def gonna write a letter…i want it next year…i did that in high school also…i was talking about nonsense like girls and sports…we'll see what i talk about now..hehe
I'm surely going to do this. What a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing. And I'm so happy I opened up your email….it seems like I've been so busy lately. Thanks Michelle
You and I reconnecting after our days in college is like opening up a letter I wrote to myself more than 4 years ago. That we are still friends today is significant. Welcome home henho friend and thanks for reconnecting with me. I have been so busy lately running like a chicken with its head cut off and I am enjoying the journey.
~in Bluegrass.
is this a quote?
what email?
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What you said made a lot of sense. But, think about this, what if you added a little content? I mean, I dont want to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added something to maybe get peoples attention? Just like a video or a picture or two to get people excited about what youve got to say. In my opinion, it would make your blog come to life a little bit.
Outstanding read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little study on that. And he really bought me lunch because I located it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Do you do all your own writing? Or do you outsource a few of it? I’m on the lookout for some similar content for my blog! Those are great posts!
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