Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Two Letters To My Younger Self

The newest issue of Ladies Home Journal (with Giada De Laurentiis on the cover) arrived in the mail today. My sweet grandmother subscribes to about 5 different magazines for me. I guess they are my birthday and Christmas gifts :) Anyway, I began to read some of the articles when inspiration struck! There was an article (or section) about what celebrities wish they could have told themselves 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Although I have about 10 delinquent posts, I decided that a letter to myself would be blogworthy. Especially since I am hoping to impart some wisdom to my two little girls who will read this one day. I hope they don't struggle with self-esteem the way I did. So here goes...

To My 8 Year Old Self,

You are just finishing the third grade and have experienced the best school year you have ever had! Mrs. Ray is an awesome teacher! She made you feel really good about yourself when she chose you for Student of the Month. Just wait! Fourth grade is even better! To this day, you will still consider Mrs. Wilson to be the best teacher you have ever had. She is a blast to be around (red lipstick and all) and she will encourage the artist in you to keep a portfolio of index cards with your original designs on them. Everyone in the class will copy you :) The girl who acts like your best friend is not your best friend. She will try to make your life miserable and turn people against you. You will share your snack with her every single day that she does not bring one because that is what your mama would want you to do. Don't be too sad when she refuses to share her snack with you on the only two days out of the year that you forget yours. You will eventually ditch her in 7th grade because you will meet a true friend that will stick up for you. Her name is Brandi and you two will share millions of memories and laughs together! She will lose her mother to cancer and you will be there for her. She will eventually move in with your family during high school and you two will become even more like sisters. Even though you will live hundreds of miles apart from her when you are much older (27 to be exact) you will still keep in touch with her through Facebook (this amazing social networking site on a thing called a computer) You will design the front cover of your class yearbook in Mrs. Wilson's class and you will also be the first one to memorize and recite all 50 states and their capitols. You will also be the first to memorize and recite all 4 poems that Mrs. Wilson will assign you at different parts of the year. Enjoy your summer because 4th grade will be tons of fun and lots of hard work!!

Love Always,
27 (almost 28) year old Brooke

To My 18 Year Old Self,

You are at the end of your senior year of high school and you are freaking out because Rangerette tryouts are two months away! Don't stress too much because you will decide not to try out. You will think that this is the hardest decision that you have ever had to make, but it isn't. Decisions get tougher and tougher as you get older. I wish I could tell you to not shed so many tears, but those tears will make you stronger! Also, YOU ARE NOT FAT!!! You weigh 112 lbs for crying out loud!!! There will come a time when you wish you just weighed 130 lbs!! :) You are insecure because you have never kissed a boy and all your friends have. This is where your story gets juicy! You have already met the man that you will marry! You would never suspect that he is the one because you have only met him in passing while going on a friendly "date" with another guy from your English class! He is the only man that you will ever kiss! He will be the father of your children and will treat you like a queen! In fact, he is sitting in the living room with your little girl right now. That's the other thing!! You remember that poster that mom always kept in her Sunday School classroom? The one with the two little blonde haired girls holding hands as they walk down a sidewalk? Do you remember how when you were younger you would fantasize about a life when you would have a husband and two little blonde haired girls? Well, at this point in your life, you have convinced yourself that you don't want to get married or have children, but you will get over that and have that life that you fantasized about. You will have those two little girls (only they don't have blonde hair, one of them is dark haired, and the other one is in your womb at this very second kicking away!) Yes, you will have that but it will be so much better than the fantasy because it is real. And it is yours. You will struggle with depression the next year of your life because you don't know what direction your life is going, but God will guide you. He always will. Let him! I wish I could help you figure all these things out, but it will all make sense in about 10 years!

Love Always,
Brooke

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