I am 20. 2-0. I decided that on my 20th birthday, in the theme of other major milestones in my life, most recently high school graduation, I would write letters to a few of the important people in my life. I had finished writing my letters when I realized I'd left someone pretty important off the list: me. So here is my (rather belated) letter to myself at 20.
Dear Me
I decided that for my 20th birthday I would write a letter to some of the most important people in my life. For 20 years now, you've fought to earn your place on that list. It's a lot easier to care for others than for yourself and it's too easy to let yourself get caught up in the joy of caring for others, neglecting yourself. So this is a letter purely for you.
I'm writing to tell you I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the way you don't give up just because something is challenging. I'm proud of the way you refuse to hide your emotions and the way you speak your mind. I'm proud of the decisions you've made and the friends you hold close. I'm proud of how you lean into the things that scare you, like teaching yoga or speaking up in class when you don't understand. Those are always things we're revisiting, and I'm proud of the progress we've made and the progress we have yet to go.
I'm writing to remind you of just how much love there is in your world. In a time where it's really easy to see the trauma and the sadness and the unkindness, this is a letter to remind you of the people that you love and who love you in your life. It took a village to raise you, and because we never really stop growing, you still have that incredible group of support around you. Don't forget about them, even on the days where the sadness seems brighter than the love.
I'm writing to say thank you. Thank you for constantly reevaluating your values, your friends, and your choices. Thank you for being so open to change, even when sometimes change seems to bring more sadness than happiness, you always look for the silver lining in the cloud -- and we like the rain anyway.
Finally, I'm writing to remind you of just how far we have to go. 20 is the oldest we've been, and I know you feel pretty ancient right now, but honey we're still learning how to walk don't worry about running a marathon yet. We have so much left to learn, to love, to read, to see. There is so much left, so many wonderful things left.
Enjoy 20 babe.
Love,
You
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