A letter from November 17th, 2013

Time Travelled — almost 10 years

Peaceful right?

Dear 28 year old me, It's 18 year old you here, typing this from my bedroom. I've just finished flicking through some photo albums and I'm feeling nostalgic, so I figured why not make some nostalgia of my own for future me? So here I am. How's life? Right now I cannot possibly imagine where I will be on this day in 10 years time. 28 seems almost like an unattainable dream and it's so crazy that right now you are reading this from that very age. Do you look very different to what I do now? I hope you've learnt to love yourself. On the topic of love, have you fallen in love yet? I really hope that you have. Even if you're not in love at this very moment, I hope that you've experienced it at least once. I also hope you've done plenty of travelling, and have crossed off some new things from our bucket list. I've already started doing that, so now it's over to you to finish it off. Don't rush it though. Take life slowly and try to absorb everything that is around you right now, it's not going to be there forever. Where do you live now? I sincerely hope you've moved out of home even though this place has a whole lifetimes worth of memories made in it. Have you tried living overseas? Maybe you found someone else who loves to travel like you do and are currently exploring the world with you. Have you camped in the woods? Do you own a kombi van? Have you visited a castle? Things that are happening to me right now: I just finished my first year of university and didn't enjoy it very much at all. I made a total of 0 friends in the entire year, and even for someone as antisocial as me, this is a record (I really hope you go out more now and have a solid network of friends, even if it only consists of a few people.) I also just rearranged my bedroom two days ago and I'm starting to redecorate it into a "natural" feeling room. I really like it :) I've also been writing a lot of poetry on my blog thepoeticunderground.tumblr.com a few days ago I reached 5000 followers. Do you still write poetry? Maybe you even still post on there, who knows. I hope you do still write though. I enjoy doing it right now. I hope you use the computer a lot less than you used to/I do at the moment. I deactivated my facebook at the start of the year and never want it back. That being said, I do still spend far too much time on the internet, and I hope by now you've learnt that actually going outside and living your life is a lot funner than simply watching others live theirs. How's mum and dad? Right now all mum ever does is sit on the computer 24/7 and it's horrible. Whenever I go to talk to her she doesn't really want to talk and you can feel that she's waiting for you to leave so she can go back to talking to her "online friends" again. I hope she's stopped using the computer so much too. I hope mum and dad are both happy and healthy. I especially hope that dad is happy. I can tell these days that he's not and it's so sad to see because he's such an amazing person and deserves to do things that make him happy. I hope you visit mum and dad often, and I think you should give them a call after you finish reading this email. I think the strangest thing to think right now is that in 10 years time it is perfectly possible that I could have a partner or even a child. 10 years feels like an eternity but at the same time also like the blink of an eye. I hope you've spent these past 10 years well and still remember everything I've learnt about life and myself this year. I believe in you, 28 year old me, and I think you should know that even if it feels like you're alone some times you can know that 18 year old you is right here cheering you on. Don't give up on your dreams, and remember that you are a beautiful person inside and out. Stay positive and enjoy every day that you are able to spend in this world. All of my love, 18 year old you.

Epilogue

9 days later

Dear 18 year old me,

Hello from your 28 year old self! I found your letter in my emails today, and what an experience it was to read it. Parts...

Egvi of all ti ouy of ucldo ti em hgu em and rokeb ym a fo meda swih i rte,ha se,mli it atrsp meda. Am i heav i ot'nd ouy and ti but i nowk moncgi, tion dlcou oerpns eth ydtoa fo vaeh rfom dernut tahw ohw wshi i eleeisws a i you was roetcdetp tlo cobmee dwuol. Yuo i mi' oautb lkie inaag eebocm noft,e lefe you ihtnk sayalw i adn nsihwgi.
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Ookl itknh od nd'ot owh ot now yuo rdntefife oot i i iyfls,rt. I yb 'evi ym !y)ad but eth oto teh dehngca tapr oerth leldpu ogt crasese msto thanv'e tuo seom fo i ucmh head fro eyes rgey a my riha eorm n(ad. Nebe hiwt nhta i in at mi' eamig a lertugsg otl omre i tub toipns roeht imsmesot,e file ehav itlsl aicentpgc my my.
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Vhea in ti eltaylsubo nlfale agnamzi nda i was velo. Ehug iisdhnimde it ervne yruo si os spidete sha ot tgneyihrev lveo and atcyiapc. Am is i lseymf snietgmho in it udorp of. Ekam apphy crueyrlnt not oevl ni dpeley hwti iwth so tbu a valei vleo thta in tmesmon ma eht it all i to dna be me rose,np i'm ileltt eth owdrl in. In vloe hitw ti ni sl,ymef of me of sah utufre what a ehste nad mseak 01 odhl yaws hatt the rof ot all hte llfa laiyfnl dna reasy tlo hgimt tdeiecx earys txne 01 kneta.
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Satp heav tib erysa ni a iifeyetndl vnilrgelta hte ndoe orme 10 i. We abli ot aajnp caediln to eai,me dna 3 oluscrnloe ni pmca ni 0,512 in ylju uk the e'iv mstohn nad eben sentp ot 16,02 a and in teh tewn ialrned tjsu shti 0192 twne i also roikngw ot sa vtisi su i. Sriauatal eilpmlut yeouv' yhet tsipr ni adn oden sermomie snfataict ador aer uredvastne lla nda. Ear so ym itsll hatt that osem to seno si ve'tanh atrevufio ti rearzib oyu erencxeepdi omiseerm in nhkti ifel fo. Reom sloa hatt gcimno me orf evigs me phoe t'ehers ti. And sbte od i bagsirobn tboua eth to pntrse,e ihtgr omtnhsgei r'ouey tsill si't vyre tyr my. Ssinlespbteiioir elfi fo laudt it het nca rslgg,teu eddad won eb whti a aipleeyscl. .
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Thpcear tou i edwneek nwe w,on a will ecetxid i cwhih rdenfi dnarb atth yrve rof years eb a 7 heav and 'im gilniv usjt illw home for with be novigm stih fo neeb ni cgoimn. Het lla ,oseasrev imhgt go to rouy nad nwo ye,s oneft gkinhi uoy ti i a a capimng gobuth how renlta dan and btu v!an not a ludib nwo anv tub ew lediv back out i oimkb no eb do vnht'ae. Pnlyte illw be hrete rseu in !ti im' ertvsnuead more nmgcoi.
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Uinrisy,vet knwo htta yaok dan dheta yuo i is. Eht hte at an of adn fo ldseirae driersod yuo mt;ei bwnadroke ihmgt ewer nsitgh igugrgnlts uory liyfam eth not have tihw gniginnbe ieagnt uyo. Fo he,etr evenr allms nad oyur fro yuo wnte ndeeop nlnoie ryea lnlegis a bkca nistaed ceodns ouyr semoibeerdir soter psoem. Yrou in slupdehbi kboo adn ermo ahev icnes 2410 liesepb-lfhdsu eyoptr firts you two. Fro nad eary a si i hte xnet rysea i iecspo! nyrlea tyr otko my fo orf slod lpecou a fuhrto aglo to but erwti, kearb th'eyve okob ltils pudsbhlei egt 50 my 000 yttloriidanal. Hte yoru rniiwgt fo ot teh ttah all tup em eloepp to leab fetrfo noruda pehlde so im' os eb wlrod lfutgera iotn cerha yman oyu rof.
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Eomr a heav i ridfsne eyladr yera ,tiem in shit rpraialcut long i hvea hemt i all htna dna eovl ni ndaige. Ylmesf uot esen i thta nad a het put rmeo dwsaerr rteeh otl vhea fo. Up etonf dna aolng who ikghin esidrfn teh gt,roethe porug i esmo kipecd esog a i'ev awy on urdsetvnea ahve htore. Lcstsoe in oimcuyntm leik ehnw of a eplpoe nduof eekp i frmo i rnowgig i feel i dleov ahtt heva dna os wtih asw pu lilst lelaovr ensdfir efel uothc ym mkea em.
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Tlo ti etseh yda ratenelvp 01 ti rome with thoglcyeon ifel dyas yad ot sue, ryaes oga utelrgsg si i ltisl wsa a eysceilapl in esebuac tnah. Teh onetf adn hwcih rmeo sue um""bd ohepn yoln cna i lcla t,xte ntoi me dwlro gte noeft ot a uot. Its' in oyru eht awy ecndeendpe adn on ekpe lotengcyho vleo atht whti in opplee efi,l to esbb f,olws nad htuco rvehiynetg a elki you.
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Dha aws dda, it dan gareind asw cuflifidt thaw lnceybdrii daie aptr sith you tabou atth mniogc iwnnkgo umm on. Oayk adnh uyo antw llet be you dna ouyr odlh ot thta illw i. Yo'uer ot illts to ubt gigon it eavh og ouhghrt. Ouy and twih nad tduohnsa ehort and naym dma gitnhs be uyo to a a,lpnufi lwli ylutig maathrfet lwil aedl leef esyra lilw veah dna soespelh it eth fro. Iginawt tbu ereh i rof on yuo am eisd ti theor of hte. .
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Shi 2071 ilfe won koot add in. Illw reefrvo and eoymmr a yoru ofdun ni 'ist yuo be nad srardec ayd meeia ttha ,hmi. Yuo ilwl teim rof a mbun gnlo be. Of lal liwl uyo eb raefts from weitorshe drsnief to wogr duwlo rouy pu twwdrahi dan you avhe ntah eodcrf. Brneok fro,ol the rotbahmo ot is't lelt oyu rub i wish no sedbob oaky yuo hte i instgh be dolcu to oryu etehr no ckab dna be. Fo era ttha ni item the in nwo i ma e,m ehre ouy moes witst maybe seam erh,te twih yaw. It t,i tbu ilwl tno otghurh ohgurth ouy uoy gte egunncdha tge wlli.
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Taht yhet ,ot 'ndto uroy ash as owh apni ni reven adelyp you it ouy eb sa uoadnr cmuh eht oemseno oewnd si ot tlak tfoen trpa umm sude to ot qteiu pu unflapi. You eht sllti raye norhtae tis itogesmhn lla rof yal nad wersnsa s'it wne t'is nedliag eth of hte wodn ot wiht ti erenv ,eonp agol sak ni and 'im reh it,hw ot otg reh tuo. Tub y,reas ot it it nkwo eebn eimt not rheew 01 that is nda to i nmeryao tn'od edbunr sah lwli lda,e rrcya eth heav.
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An'tre oudlc be thta apht lfei gnowr i hinigknt fwe fi sginth libsepos ni tlidyefrenf arentpr xtaec ti adh dhlic nda you 28, by a i aehv ldwuo a and tmhig egno that no be ni a. Am mn,ei hngiva i psaw lfei yngieonj else lohlwy nnaygiht 'dlntwou it tub ym i sa nda orf. Uyo vhea tjsu a uyo fiel llwi uoy ti as wath bmaye fo and pphaen iagznma ti oen lsilt baaclep dan 'town, iinfulfgll oryu and gsrentth day wnko but era myaeb if phpnea ro ndso'te atth lwil of. Yesar lfee a teh i nad ta dnudehr 10 ouy ouy ,irhgt an ckab si ywaa of yee, but oolk a ikbnl at reo'uy esyra temi same. Vhea hte ouy i ceadde alntre i sleymf llist sdniei the asmll etmfliie vhae ubt eivld apts in adn a inthsg dolh uoy.
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Oprud i uoy am odl hwo nliaoatsg nad i nkuhyato ouy 81 of teh rae rof of oudrp am m,e reya mnboiegc os. Ou,y yuo for is uhtog elar etg ughhrot it btu batou ifel teg to. Fo csemo ym hgurtoh arthe fo rouy wiht to huorhtg roetnrsg naericgh lla to na hnad nda in veol, vole ossl even ma rehe dlho hatt mtie bcka i lal ilbatiy htta.
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Asy,wla uroys.
Oyu yrae old 82.

This user has written an update to this letter.To see what they wrote, please


matheusgamer304010:

almost 2 years ago

Have you become what you expected?

gracemcnee23:

almost 2 years ago

Woah this is so cool to read, I hope you followed your dreams and achieved them, if not I still hope ur doing good.

Letter Author:

over 1 year ago

It made me proud to read this and realise I had achieved so much of what I was hoping 10 years ago. Life threw some pretty big curveballs at me, but I came out the other side a more resilient person. If I can do as much growing again in the next 10 years, then I can't imagine where I might be at 38.

victotoroia:

over 1 year ago

I usually send letters a year later, but this inspired me to write one to send in 10 years. A lot really does happen in a decade! Thanks for sharing and I wish you all the best in reaching your dreams!

marco:

over 1 year ago

this made me tear up

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