A letter from Jan 13th, 2022

dear fifteen year old amelia, holy shit. you’re finally 15. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! now do u feel like an actual teenager? you’re a freshman in high school. i hope we get good classes. i have a few questions. did you get your permit yet, if so pass on your first try? did you make jv again for volleyball? or did you tryout for soccer, i doubt that would happen though. how’s high school?are you close to the sophomores now or freshman in my time? are you close to any upperclassman? 4.0 gpa or higher remember? straight As nothing less? how’s the family? older brother a sophomore in college and younger brother a 4th grader. did your relationship with mom get stronger and not as rocky? respect her. she loves you so much and cares a lot. still close to dad? are you going to play soccer in the spring? speaking of that how was summer? kiss anyone??? pls say you did. did you go to the cabin with people? did you get up on the wake surf yet? did you try skiing again both water and snow? did you get a boyfriend or have one? did you actually get outside this summer like i wanted to? did you end up getting passports? did you go out of the country? did you travel at all? i didn’t even think about this, are our brother and his girlfriend still together? if you say no i probably already cried. did you rearrange your room and get a full yet, if not do that now!! now for some advice from smarty old 14 year old you. ready for it? okay. ask for help. you can’t do everything on your own. practice being a good listener, even when you don't like what you are hearing. stop thinking too much, it’s alright to not know the answers. they will come you are least expecting it. don’t compare your life with someone else’s and don’t judge them. you have no idea what anyone’s journey is all about. always be the best person you can be. be kind even when you’re tired. be understanding even when you’re angry. do more than you are asked, and don’t ask for anything in return. don’t silently expect anything either. listen when someone talks, and really listen too, stop just thinking of how you will reply. go out of your way to do things for people. be the greatest person you can possibly be and when you mess up, make up for it in the next moment or minute or day. one thing that you should never do? never spend your time trying to prove to anybody that you’re great, your actions will speak for themselves and we only have limited time on this earth, don’t waste it. it’s okay to not be okay. be confident there’s only one you. you’re body is meant to help survive and live so who cares what it looks like as long as you are healthy. remember feeling vulnerable is definitely one of the scariest feelings but you need to feel it. it helps make connections stronger and healthier. feeling judged also sucks. you feel like every movement, every word you say and everything in general that you do is wrong. we’ve all been there. if you gonna change, change for yourself. there’s not much you can do about feeling judged. they might not even be judging you but you would never know. what i like to is “not give a fuck”. people are gonna judge you anywhere and everywhere you go but you HAVE to be yourself. if people don’t like you for who you truly are than fuck them (exuse the language :) sorry.) you don’t need that negativity in your life. so to sum that up DO YOU, BE YOU, FOR YOU AND BE HAPPY AND HAVE FUN WHILE DOING IT. don’t sacrifice who you need for who you want. TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. lastly, everything happens for a reason. do with this advice as you please. use some ignore some it’s up to you. remember that i love you or me i guess. i know it doesn’t always feel like it but i do. you perfect the way you are okay? okay. happy birthday!! i love you and remember don’t suck. - you, 14