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| Super serious 16-year-old me! |
Wow, this letter is harder to write than I thought… and I know I’m probably over-thinking this - you’ll understand because you do the same! Would be kinda nice if you could start working on that sooner rather than later! ;)
Okay, being serious now… what can I tell you to make your coming years easier? Lots of things, of course, but I’m torn… everything you’ve experienced (and will experience) has shaped you and your life to where I am now. And I wouldn’t change this for the world – you’ll love it. I know this because... you’re me!
If I give you advice, will it change the paths you take, the choices you make? Or would it simply mean that you can give yourself permission to enjoy more and not be so devastated by the difficult times.
Anyway, I would love to make it easier for you to understand so these are my words for you:
- You aren’t responsible for the bad choices other people make.
- Happiness and unhappiness really do come from within. You can’t be responsible for another person’s deep unhappiness.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s not weakness to admit you need help, it’s strength.
- And lastly, you are so much more resourceful and braver than you realise! Carpe diem, kiddo!
Oh, hang on, make that two requests... please, don't take up netball in your thirties. Trust me when I say, three months on crutches after rupturing your Archilles tendon is no fun at all!
PS I’m tempted to say, keep up with that guitar strumming – but you and the wonderful man you eventually marry, are going to have so many laughs when you buy yourselves a pair of guitars! It’d be a shame to spoil that!
Lovely letter, Sharon! And what a gorgeous picture :) I'm so enjoying this 'letters' series, each one has resonated with me. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stefanie. That pic is actually from a high school formal - I was surprised to realise I have very very few pics of me around that age because I was almost always the one wielding the camera! Such a great place to hide - behind a camera. ;)
DeleteSob! So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd ouch on that Achilles!
Thanks, Amy! Oh yes, BIG ouch on the Archilles! LOL
DeleteAw, another beautiful letter, and a gorgeous photo. You're so right...enjoying more and not being so devastated by the difficult times is what we would all wish for our younger selves.
ReplyDeleteClaire, everything seemed so intense at that age, didn't it? So huge and dramatic and worrying. I wonder if lessons in keeping things in perspective might be a good idea for teens! Actually... maybe some of those wouldn't go astray now! LOL
DeleteGosh, look at that lovely curly hair! So gorgeous! I just love your letter- you gave no spoilers for your younger self, but such words of encouragement. And you're so right, carpe diem is such a powerful mantra we should all take heed of. Lovely letter xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louisa! I confess the curls weren't natural - I'd have loved to have naturally curly hair... though I say that and friends with naturally curly hair seemed to lust over straight hair! Us humans do have a hankering for that green grass in the other paddock, don't we! ;)
DeleteCarpe diem! Great mantra for our whole lives!
Oh, Sharon, those school formals. Great letter, giving nothing away. Your four points of wisdom resonate with me. If only we knew all that stuff at an early age.
ReplyDeleteLots of angst around the formals, wasn't there, Sue? What to wear, whether you had a date! Glad my points resonate with you too! Yeah, if only we knew that stuff... ;)
DeleteHi Sharon
ReplyDeleteA lovely letter and what a beautiful photo if only we all knew back then what we know now :)
Have Fun
Helen
If only, indeed, Helen! Thanks!
DeleteI love that photo, Sharon! And I love your 4 points -- if only we understood life wouldn't always be as fraught as when we were 16 (thank heavens!) and realised how resilient we actually were then maybe we'd have learned to relax a bit more. Gorgeous letter!
ReplyDeleteP.S. And I love that you and your DH took up the guitar together -- what fun!
Thanks, Michelle! Oh, it is huge fun with the guitars! Loads of laughs and we've had a couple of "jam" sessions with much better guitarists than what we are where we get to play the "background" while the clever person does the fancy bits - makes us feel much more accomplished than what we are! LOL
DeleteSharon, I love your letter! Also, I seriously love that long ringlet. Maybe I should grow my hair long again so I could have a ringlet like that... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel! LOL on fancying the ringlet! It's been a year (ahem, or ten) since I've been able to sport one of those!
DeleteSharon, I'm very late coming to this as I've been away but I had to say how much I enjoyed your letter, and your photo! Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie and thanks for making time to stop in! We're so busy these days it can be hard to keep up with everything!
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