A letter from November 17th, 2013

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...

Ym daem i fo fo ocdul me ti fo aemd uyo uhg me whsi korbe arpts le,msi vegi and lal a it ,rehta ti. Cmboee a ti i am i osprne hwsi aws ulcdo eth otni yuo wludo aveh nwok nad c,ngmio how eahv i uoy i 'dnto fmro i rdtune edtrcoept otl tydoa but of wtha eswlseie. Yuo i klei thnik boaut eelf you ne,tof nad angai hiisngw m'i i swaayl mbeeoc.
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Oto i yuo nieffretd knthi own f,sytrli do okol ot i d'nto who. Rasecse udlple rmeo yb out hte i of ohetr adhe prta ahir ym meso a)dy! eth tgo my hucm eryg rfo i eyse 'avetnh nda( a headncg oto mots tub iv'e. Flei ta moer olt vahe naht stlil ni itsnpo my my erhot utb i agmie ithw m'i lgtegsur bnee i a pntgccaie ,eitossmme.
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Nda letaosblyu nellfa in i saw aingazm it loev hvae. Hsa idiesdmnhi ti is ryuo dan so lveo ot catapyic dstepei eevnr eugh rteiynghev. Of rodup i ma hsoginetm si smlefy it ni. Adn twih os all a payhp teh ot eht tub amke be oevl mmtones lwdro in veol it ni ttha nto tiwh eliva me letlit n,sepor ni deeply ylucrtnre 'im i am. Mesak dna turufe xten leov ti fo eht for 01 ylnfila in a myfs,el yarse 10 might tlo iextedc etnka em fo dna atth to dhlo rsyae has ni lla esteh hwti llfa whta wasy eth.
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Mreo past etyfielndi eavh 10 eth a sarye bit iatlvlgner eodn in i. Nad laib het acpm ku 9012 lnucooeslr ni wignrok iitvs jtus a i nmhtso 102,6 to irdaeln ntwe we denaicl ,2501 eth 3 i to oasl sthi ot apanj sa su dan entsp i,amee in to eenb in ntew nda in jluy iev'. Lal irstp roseiemm iaastfntc ndeo llmpiuet nad htye voeuy' dan droa rae ni etasnduevr ilrautasa. Isemmore so zbrreai ktnhi dxeeeriecpn fo to osme noes nhav'et is elif faervtiou rae uyo my it in sillt ahtt htta. Omcngi erom tesr'he ehpo aosl me vsegi it em atth orf. Nad girht ryev oabtu ory'ue tllis my toimsgnhe teh i do tsbe tyr npeesr,t 'ist ot borgiabsn. Fo osnitsesiriebipl ddaed eb ti elu,gtrgs nwo nca ilef alcelesiyp a the ulatd ihtw. .
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Thiw eebn dna i juts fo be hchiw vginil hemo 7 in a tihs cgiomn eb orf bdnra veyr wlli nwkeeed tcrpahe ahve i mgvnio teidexc ilwl eyrsa fdenir that wne a orf uto 'im ,wno. Tuo oikbm owh eth srvaeo,es ew a ye,s dan go tbu efton now pgiamcn a biudl no gbouth wno i avn i a lla be ackb tub nda ouy anvhet' it dna ltnear do otn ightm oury ot dlive knhiig na!v. Ueeanvtrsd m'i heter uesr gicnom ni ylpnte be it! reom ilwl.
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Nad yuo thta onwk ayok sv,neturyii ahdte i si. Gnhist obrwkenda uoy ;tmie fo ginnigneb eht ont teh ifmlya asrdeeil ntgiea ryou vhea nda sgniutgrgl na het tiwh gihmt fo iesdordr ta you reew. Yrae rfo oreresdmiebi ryou etrso nditaes opmes oyu dna of vneer tewn ileonn asmll lsnglie ,trehe kacb pdneoe noceds a uyor. Rsift 1042 yrou oyu reopty nda cinse in have owt ookb pdbsilueh omer lbfslhdi-sueep. Yasre cuopel took my lyeran a ti,erw truofh get vee'tyh a is !soipec 50 rbaek i the obko i gola to utb dna ayre 000 etnx for euhdbsipl try fro my tlsil olds tydotilrnilaa fo. Htat ot you so i'm os rof able nyma rgniiwt lrwod eppleo fetfro to put alutgfer teh ruyo of ehplde be chaer itno me nrduao the lal.
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And thme i tclaairrpu naht ayre dainge rome all hvae ni redayl this in evlo rdfnise i veha a gnol ti,me i. Hte erdwsar ehav i roem nese a hreet atht uto yemlsf of tpu dan lto. Eridsnf ngaol gopur ehva tegrheot, soem dvutenrase eontf and retho ei'v on i soeg gkhini dcepik yaw pu woh the a. Wsa ielk i leef me ltssoce evha dan peeolp of i iltls with eefl esfinrd enwh ni ym fnuod keam aerllov atht keep oniymcmtu so i a voedl girogwn thouc romf i up.
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To adys lurggets iwth ooetylcnhg ayser tshee i cbaeuse si ti a nhat ues, yad aipeclesyl ti gao asw tlsil aenevprlt roem dya lot ni ielf 01. Em ,tetx noeft and meor uot lalc a teg sue nopeh rldwo dm"u"b nac nylo ihchw eth oentf onit ot i. In eopelp t'is you ,elfi a eovl to on nda vehringyet l,owfs hwit esbb tchuo peek teh nda in ecednpedne oltyconghe awy keli yoru hatt.
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Ti on hist awht mum tpra dryielcibn negdria ciftdlifu aied asw gcniom and uaobt had you ionknwg ttha dda, was. You koya dhol llwi adhn tlle ahtt you i nawt dan be oruy to. To still ot vaeh orhghut it but ggion go rueoy'. Ahve llwi lwil and nad ti for htaetarmf thsnig oepesshl amd hte uyo seyar dan you leef lugtiy illw a hwit dael nad etroh eb nmay utshodan to fnplai,u. For rehto tbu erhe ma ides tnigiwa on ti of teh oyu i. .
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Own feil took shi dda 0172 in. Hmi, adn eormym atht ererfvo day acrdsre meeia undfo a yrou in i'st nad eb yuo illw. Imte fro a lliw uyo mbun goln be. Tanh ofmr edcfor to rgow idsnref ouy up etrowiehs lilw eb dwwahtir evha uolwd fo you nad ryuo fsaert all. Kyao i i tlel be on bdseob bur acbk het tis' iwsh eb ot ouyr ucold and no you ,orlfo erteh eht stginh ot obatrhom reonbk you. Fo hete,r mesa i am tihw way em, in rea aybem wtsti oyu now osme hte eher ttah time in. Uyo get it tge hunagndce wlli nto wlli htgrhou uoy btu uhoghrt ,ti.
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To nvere to up si umm d'nto as het sa uyo takl ti wndoe how be punlfai mcuh in pnai epydal trap ouyr to sah ttah dseu druoan ythe eqiut nmeooes you ot, enotf. Htw,i ihtw nda reh ogal 'im sehtniomg vnree sarswne ti's in wne ot henroat nedgial 'sit you sltil reh of it dan to eray eht sak eht owdn sit nope, lal rfo the tog lya otu. Ton ymenroa nbee to 01 ti d'ont ti ahtt has to lilw hvae the i is and elda, knwo sy,era where dnberu ubt rycra emit.
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,82 it vahe a nad teacx i rrtpnae eb by hcdli nrwog oyu atht itgkhnni few adn er'tan be a ahd apht tgmih ni ni lucdo thta i a rteenilyffd lfei fi enog spebisol ulodw on sghnti. I ma ntghanyi as ubt i seel my and feli awsp ohyllw 'tuwonld it iavgnh m,ine ygojnein rof. If utjs lfei day a edonst' it illw neahpp you nda ehav but oyu fo tath wtha of myeab uyo nhttsreg ro aelbacp sitll ybema hnepap eno onwk ,two'n aer and aanmigz illw ti dna lfnfiiugll sa oryu. Reysa tiem i si uoy at kbca htigr, na bkinl but hte a flee fo at eyrsa 10 mesa e,ye eyu'or dunedrh aywa nad uoy a kolo. Ni the teh tspa eleftimi olhd ehav smlla iiensd you tngshi haev ldvie a acdeed ternal adn i lltsi i uoy tbu lemsfy.
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Ioemcnbg ma ordpu ma 18 fo lntaoaisg the i i dupro so lod ofr eyra notyuakh ,me woh of you you aer nad. Is utbao hhtrgou for to etg uthgo ti aler ouy, tge uyo efil btu. Slos tghhuor hree ni fo kcab htare neaihgrc htta fo hlod ltiiayb ocsem tmie ot tsnegror ovel my neve tath lla ndah ouyr ma na hitw gutohhr dna vl,eo ot i lla.
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Soury yalas,w.
You 82 lod reay.

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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:

almost 2 years 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:

almost 2 years 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:

almost 2 years ago

this made me tear up

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