This is an idea I got from a post on Magical Ordinary and a project for Pink Moss.
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me aged 12 hiding in the rocks on Bruny Island off the coast of Tasmania, Australia
My Dearest Self,
It might feel like you’re useless and ugly and friendless right now, but you aren’t. Everything is just about to change. When those braces come off your teeth next year they are going to reveal a whole new woman. You’re about to discover punk rock and New Model Army and music is about to become the most important thing in your life. And you’re going to make some fantastic friends.
Maybe the insane Flock of Seagulls haircut won’t be such a great idea, and maybe that awful orange hair dye could, in hindsight, be seen as a mistake but you know what? Do it anyway!
You are so beautiful, really you are, and you don’t even realise it. And the not realising, that makes you even more beautiful. When you’re in your 30s you are going to look at photos of yourself when you were 19 and think “did I really look like that? Wow!”. You won’t believe me now, but those braces are going to be totally worth it!
There are going to be tough times. Really tough times. To the point where you don’t know how you’re going to get through them, but you will, because your family love you and will be there for you no matter what. You won’t always think they love you but they do. Oh they do.
The most important thing I want you to remember though is this: All we have is right now, this moment. The past doesn’t exist and the future never comes so don’t spend your life worrying about them. Enjoy what you have, ever last minute of it. Live for today and don’t let anyone tell you what to do.
I would like to take this moment to ask you not to start smoking next year because whatever you say it’s going to be another 15 years before you give up, but I don’t expect you’re going to listen.
So let me leave you with this. You are beautiful, intelligent and funny. Not everyone is going to see this, but that’s OK. Just hold those who do close as hell!
Love Me, Your 35 Year Old Self
x
What would you tell your 12-year-old self?
