"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know." ~ A.A. Milne
This quote warms my heart every time I read it because it reminds me of something that I wish I could say to my younger self. As I have gotten older, I have spent some time reflecting on my childhood and the person that I was when I was little.
When I think about my younger self, I remember the laughs that I shared with so many people and all the good memories that I was blessed to experience, however, I also remember the insecurities and the confusion that accompanied me throughout my childhood.
Using this quote, I am able to come up with a letter to my younger self with advice and wisdom that I have learned in my twenty years on this earth.
Dear Little Hannah,
"You are braver than you believe..." A.A. Milne
Boy do I remember the many fears that plagued me as a child, from the ordinary fears of the dark and monsters to the fear of riding the school bus or the fear of being disliked by my classmates. I wish I could go back into our childhood and protect you from the ugliness that lies in this world, but I do not believe that I would have turned into the person that I am today without the experiences of the past.
I wish I could tell you that there isn't anything to be afraid of, but I won't lie to you. As you go through life, there will be many different things that frighten you, but you are bigger than your fears. I am telling you from my twenty year old perspective that no matter how big a problem seems to be, it will never be bigger than the God who created you.
My best advice to you is to turn to Him when life gets to be too much. Some people will tell you that God never gives you more than you can handle, but I am telling you that is not true. Sometimes, God does give us more than we can handle, but it is in these times when we must turn to Him for help, for He will never abandon us.
"You are stronger than you seem..." A.A. Milne
Oh sweet girl, I can remember how weak you felt when your hair was being pulled, when you were being shoved and called horrible names. I remember how you trembled at the thought of never being tough enough to hurt them back.
As I look back on this dark part of my past, I now see strength where I once only saw weakness. I see strength in this little me that marched into school everyday even knowing that she would be picked on. I see strength in this little me who learned through pain how to love people even when they don't deserve it. I see strength in this little me who felt empathy for the people causing her pain.
Oh child, if I could go back in time and hug you, I would, but this letter will have to do. Sweetheart, please know that you are stronger than most people. You may not have the physical strength to stand up to your bullies, but your level of emotional strength is far beyond your years. You are not weak. You are extraordinary, and your strength will carry you through many more of life's curveballs.
"You are smarter than you think..." A.A. Milne
Well little Hannah, I know that at the time you would be reading this, you are not struggling in school. Please learn to recognize what a blessing that is, because when you get to high school and college...you are going to learn what it means to struggle in school. Listen to your older self when I say that you need to learn how to study young because it is a hard habit to learn once you are set in your ways.
My second point to stress to you is that book smarts are not the most important thing about a person. Please do not ever let yourself feel inferior to someone because they have better grades than you, because this does not make them a better person than you. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses; it is what makes us unique. Live by this because it will not only protect you from getting hurt, but it can stop you from hurting others.
"You are loved more than you know..." A.A. Milne
Little one, you are so blessed. You have the best family that a girl could want...even if they are a little crazy sometimes. Those people will be by your side always, so don't take them for granted.
As you grow, you will lose friends in your life and gain new ones, and that is okay. You must remember that people change and you will change and sometimes this causes people to grow apart, but this doesn't mean that you stop loving them.
Don't forget that even when you feel completely alone, God is with you. There is no love greater than His love for us. Allow this knowledge to fill your heart with gladness.
Hannah, keep that rose-colored view of the world that I know you have; it will get you through some of the worst times in your life. It is always better to see the beauty in the world rather than focusing on the negative. Always know that there can never be too much love; with this belief, you will change the world some day.
Come what may in this life, you are going to be just fine. You will fall down a few times and you will definitely get some bruises, be they physical or emotional, but who wants to arrive at the end of life without a few good stories to tell anyway?
