Dear Trinity,

You won’t care to read this now, I know that. You’re a ten year old with school and family and a short attention span like all children your age. I can’t blame you for not wanting to sit yourself down at a computer to read something your dear old aunt might say.

But I can hope that one day you will.

The two of us are close, you and I. We get along rather well and I thought I would write this so some years down the road, I can email you the link and you can shout across the room, “Aunt Kaitlyn, why are you emailing me? You’re right here?” and then embarrass me infront of everyone because I refuse for people to see me write this. It’s our secret.

I’m writing this on January 31st, 2018. You just turned ten (although I know right now you’re thinking “I know that I can do math”, just roll with it) and tonight is your birthday party. You finally hit double digits! In six years, you’ll be driving. In eight, graduating. In 11, we’ll be drinking buddies.

But until then, I need to pass some knowledge down to you and you need to listen and not let your sixteen year old know-it-all attitude slip through because I’m going to say this as blunt as I can so, hopefully, you may read this in four or five years and appreciate what I have to say.

Consider yourself first. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes, but don’t be so selfish that you don’t remember who brought you into this world. It’s okay to be sad, and it’s okay to be irritated. If you need to take ten minutes, do it. Take a break from homework to take a warm bath. It’s okay to wait until the day before to do homework. Sometimes, it’s even okay to wait until the day of as long as you don’t get into a habit of it. I mean, look at me right here. I’m writing an article that’s due today when I could have written it yesterday. It’s okay if you know what you can handle.

Relationships suck. Don’t rush into them, okay? Promise me? I can’t tell you how many mistakes I made because I was rushing myself into something I didn’t want simply because I was settling. It’s not fun, it’s not okay. I don’t care if other girls have been in relationships ten times before and you haven’t been in one. There is a reason for that. And on that note, if something feels off about him (or her), trust it. I don’t want you getting hurt. Or come to me! I’m here, and I totally understand why you wouldn’t want to go to your mother (I wouldn’t either).

Form your own opinions. I see so many people being stupid simply because they don’t have the guts to have their own opinions anymore. They don’t care to consider both sides of the story, regardless of what it is or how serious it may be. I know for a fact you at this age like to listen in on drama and have a very vocal opinion based on what your mother said. But here’s the kicker, there, kiddo- you can’t do that in the real world. You will not be safe being a people pleaser and echoing others thoughts. I want you to look at the situation from both sides and form your own individual opinion because that is what sticks out. No matter how much passion you have in your echo, it will never be as powerful as someone who has the same amount of passion but in their own words. Please, please do not echo people just because they make you feel that you are in the wrong. Maybe they are right, and that would be great on their part! But discover they’re right through an informed decision, and not because they bully you to agreement.

Don’t grow up too fast. I know you just can’t wait to get out of the house. Your mother is a real royal and wants you to do many things you just are not feeling. I get it! I was there! You wait for the day to come where you can up and leave your family behind and be free. But guess what? I’m only a semester and some weeks deep into college and I wish I was sixteen again. Enjoy your life where your at. Take everything you learn and appreciate it. Take those books you read in school and really get into those words because I know how much you love to read. You will miss these things when you graduate, even if the idea of college is exciting.

But be prepared for the future. I know, I know. I just told you not to grow up too fast and take things slow but I also want you to do things I didn’t. I want you to study for your learners at fourteen, take the test at fifteen, and have a license by the time you’re sixteen- seventeen at least. I want you to start looking at colleges when you’re in sophomore year and have an idea planned out. Start getting jobs early and form a savings account, apply to scholarships early. Take initiative for your future, it may be a lot of work and a lot to think about, but it will so help you out in the long run.

Now that all this is over, I want you to keep this knowledge in the back of your mind. Keep this advice, because I won’t remember it in a few years. I’ll probably forget I even wrote this. I just want you to have a good, rounded life with whatever comes your way. You have that ability to have that regardless of what happen.

Now, I need to pack up my belongings and go to English, then go home and get ready for your birthday party where I may (or may not) give you a copy of this. We’ll see.

Happy Birthday, Kid.