Dear Future Self,

I know there will come a day in my future where I will be stuck trying to figure out what to write about or what to do next with my life. So I hope that my future self will come back to previously written works in order to get inspiration and I hope that we will find the basis of why we started writing. Now, I know myself well enough that just looking at old material will not be enough so this letter is so I don’t forget the important aspects of life. This is a list of things I want myself to remember.

1. Don't ever forget how to be a child

I know that all people have to grow up and start thinking seriously. I’m not saying to act like a child. What I’m saying is don’t forget how to see the wonder in life. I feel like adults get so wrapped up in their daily lives with work, finances, and other important things that they forget how to take a step back and appreciate the world around them. Children will look at a flower and wonder why it’s the color that it is or imagine that there are a million tiny fairies living in it. Adults don’t seem to do that. They see a flower and accept that it’s a flower and nothing more. I don’t want to forget how to appreciate the little things in life.

2. Don't forget how to love an animated movie

I have never felt a stronger feeling of hope or cried harder over a death than I have watching an animated film. I don’t know why I get so involved with these movies but it probably has something to do with growing up with Disney. There is something special about animated films. You can have the characters do absolutely anything. Everything is possible and I think that’s why they resonate so strongly with me. In a world that tries so hard to fit you into a specific category, it’s nice to be able to witness something that pushes all limits of the imagination.

3. Don't forget our days in retail

I don’t think I have ever hated something so much in my life. I really don’t know how people do these jobs sometimes. The constant rude commands and the over-the-top request are enough to drive any person insane. Don’t even get me started on the holiday season because that is just insanity. I want us to remember that we have worked so hard to get out of that industry, and that no matter how much we might hate our job in the future, nothing can be worse than being a cashier in retail during the month of December. Also, NEVER be rude to those cashier. We have been there and we know how much it sucks so I hope we continue to be as nice as possible to them.

4. Don't forget to call our family

I know our family is insane. Right now I’m writing this in bed, while our sister is blaring music from her room, our brother is getting a kick out of stealing our stuffed Chewbacca, Dad is watching a car auction that has lasted for 3 days now, and Mom is doing constant check-ups to make sure I’m actually doing work and not watching Netflix. Trust me, I get it. But don’t forget how distraught we were when Grandma died, and only then did we realize that we hadn’t talked to her in probably 2 months. We always put off stuff until the last minute, but family shouldn’t be one of them. I know we really don’t fit in with them but they are our family nonetheless. I don’t want us to be looking back in 50 years and wishing we had done more. Quite honestly though, I don’t think Mom would let us forget anyways.

5. Don't ever forget that one day in middle school

I know you remember. It’s the one day that will always haunt us and the one day we wish we should have asked for help instead of looking for an easy way out. Death is final. Nothing is more permanent, more destructive, or more sorrowful than death. So no matter how hard life is, nothing can be worse than that day. I want us to push on. Struggling in life is just a sign that you are living something that is worth it. We live between two heartbeats: our first and our last. I want us to fill up the time between the two with an amazing array of emotion and adventure, so when our time finally comes, we won’t regret it.

Being that this is to my future self, I highly doubt I would expect more than five things to remember. After all, once I get going on a list I can usually never stop, so this should be a good place to stop. I know we are probably stressed right now; it is what we do a lot of. But I never want us to forget who we are and who we were. We are a relatively strong person now and I can’t even imagine how strong we will be in the future but being a strong person means that we have to look out for others more. Not everyone in the world is as lucky as we are, so it is up to us to help out the people who we can. That’s why we started writing after all. Words can carry weight. Combine that with the will to help others and you have a surefire way to reach the entire planet. It’s probably going to be one of the hardest things we have ever done but if J.K Rowling can do it, so can you.

With all my love,

21-year-old me