Dear Future Self,

I hope you somehow come across this letter one day far from now. I hope you read this and smile because you remember and reminisce about the person you used to be. Things have changed in your life, I'm assuming, and I can only hope you are happy. The kind of happy I know you were all those years ago. This is the letter to my future self, I hope you're doing well.

I hope you are reading this in the presence of your husband. I hope he looks at you like you're the best thing to ever walk this earth. I hope he doesn't ever make you feel unimportant or not wanted. He better work things out with you like an adult and never let you go to sleep mad. You're a lucky girl if you never have to worry about him choosing someone else over you. I know you're smart and I know you wouldn't make that mistake. I assume you've learned the lesson that it's not always about dating the hot jock, but rather the one who never stopped trying for you. Hopefully he lets you reach your goals without suppressing you because you used to never let anyone take that away from you. You better still have that fire.

I hope you have the job you’ve always wanted and worked so hard to get. I know you used to talk about being successful all the time and I hope you finally climbed to the top. You got it from your dad. I hope you made connections and friendships along the way and built a network you’re proud of. I hope you wake up every day excited for your job and don’t let it damper your life. That fight in you is hopefully at an all time high. You deserve it.

I hope you never lost your faith. Please don’t ever lose that. No matter what adversity was thrown at you, you always knew how to handle it because of your faith. I pray you used this to reach out to others and build friendships from it. I hope you kept this the center of your life over the years. If for some reason you have lost your faith, just remember where you are now and know it wouldn’t be like that without your faith. That faith consumed all of you before, and it should still consume you now.

If you have kids I hope they know they have the best mother ever. I hope you don’t invade their privacy and let them come to you with everything. I hope you resemble your parents. I hope you tell them every day you love them and never miss a play, game, holiday, recital or field trip. Don’t ever miss those. I hope they are filled with the same silliness you were and that they have no shame in it. I know you’re the parent you were raised to be and I’m proud of you.

Lastly, I hope you still cherish the little things in life like you used to. I hope you laugh at stupid, immature jokes. I hope you start laughing with your best friends for no reason at all. I hope you still dance in the shower and blast music throughout your house. I hope you still have your sarcasm that sometimes goes too far. Remember, you are you and that’s the best thing you can be. You are special and I pray you know that. I hope you and your girlfriends drink way too much wine on weekends and have those crazy talks you used to talk about. Don’t ever lose your light and sparkle. Always be there for your friends and family and continue to put them first. I hope you are genuinely happy with your life.

Sincerely,

Your Younger Self