Dear future me,

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you're doing that you're happy. I hope you can genuinely say that you love what you do. I hope that you're surrounded by people who inspire you, make you laugh and bring you nothing but joy. I hope that all is well with your soul.

It's weird to think about the future. It seems so far away, but really it's just right around the corner. It seemed like yesterday I was in elementary school playing outside with all of my neighborhood friends and now they've all moved away and the street is too quiet. Time flies, and that is an understatement. A lot of what I'm saying is so cliché, but it's ridiculously true. I feel like as you get older time only slips through your fingers that much faster. One second you're looking towards the future and the next thing you know it's all in the past.

I'm happy I have come to these realizations within the first 20 years of my life. I hope, future me, that you have made the most of your time. I hope you have rid your life of anything and anyone that brings you pain, sorrow or fear. I hope the light that shines within you is still burning bright. I hope you still have hope for a better and brighter tomorrow. I hope you are kind and honest. I hope you are always true to yourself and that you never hide any part of yourself from the world. The world deserves to see you, to know you, to understand you and to embrace you. You are special, and I hope that you realize this. I hope that you have silenced that voice inside of your head that constantly told you that you weren't good enough...that you could do better... Because you are good enough and you always have been...

I hope you still dance in the rain every chance you get, and more than anything, I hope you have someone by your side that dances in the rain with you...

It's scary to think that a quarter of my life is gone (if I reach the average life expectancy age for a female). A quarter of the memories I'll have in life have been made. A quarter of the happiness, sadness, anger, confusion, frustration, love and joy that I can feel in my lifetime I have already felt. A quarter of the time I will spend meeting new people and building new relationships has passed. A quarter of the time I can have breathtaking, heartbreaking, incredible and eye-opening experiences is gone. A quarter doesn't seem like much in the grand scheme of life. But it's a quarter of all the time I will never get back... It's a quarter of my life that I have lived and can never re-live...

So.. if you're reading this, future me, whether you're 28, 42 or on your death bed, I hope you are genuinely happy. I hope you are sincerely loved. I hope that you read this and say, "Hell yeah I took advantage of every second I had on this earth. I am happy. I am loved. I lived a good life so far." Because you my friend... you deserve it.

Love,

Somebody that you used to know.