Kennedy,

Middle school had been pretty terrible for you up until the 8th grade. You had a sense of always being lonely, and with the exception of your family, you always felt like a burden to those around you. It was a tough couple of years, but you made it through and finally, you are in a high school where no one knows you and you can be who you want to be.

High school is the best of both worlds right now. You have left middle school behind, and found a good group of friends. You are on a softball team that you feel comfortable on, and you feel like your teammates actually love and appreciate you. You are living your life to the fullest, and I thank God that you were able to have that happiness. But you also are facing things you never thought you would. You are struggling for the first time in school subjects, and you are losing your passion for medicine, something you never thought would ever happen. And I know that you are feeling a little lost by your insecurities and trying to find your way, but here's your future self telling you this: it will all work out.

Now don't get me wrong, life in the future is not a cake walk. You are going to go through some of the hardest and scariest times. You will experience things that are terrible, and it will take its toll on you. But it really does get better, and college will truly be the time of your life. You will find the profession you had no idea you would want to do, but you will love it more than you could have ever loved being a pediatrician. You will find an amazing sorority and you will forge friendships that will last a lifetime. You will fall in and out of love, and though it ended, you will love and truly be loved by a great guy (things just don't work out sometimes when two people are on two different paths in life). You will find your place in this world and you will know what true happiness is.

While things seem tough now, and you will go through some tough times, be assured your life is amazing in the future. You will love who you are because you are happy and who you could have only wished you would be. So for now little one, go to every football game with your friends, enjoy your after the game ritual of going to Starbucks and the park. Enjoy your time on the softball fields, and enjoy setting foot on the diamonds with the best teammates you could ask for. Spend time with your grandparents, and enjoy every second of family time that you can absorb. The future can wait, enjoy the moments you are in right now.