Dear sixteen-year-old me,
You have spent your whole life skipping your years, the idea of growing older and the freedom that comes with it is so enticing that the very thought fills your head with endless possibilities. Movies make it seem so perfect and books make it seem so real. Turning sixteen is your first step into adulthood finally things will be easy, sixteen is the key to self-acceptance and self-fulfillment, the beginning of the rest of your life.
I hate to break it to you because I know you think you have all the answers, but you are so wrong. The illusion that comes with becoming sixteen is only a product of the media’s impact on your life. In fact, real life is nothing like the movies, unfortunately boys will not stand outside your house holding a boom box like in Sixteen Candles, the quarterback will not run out from the field just to kiss you in the stands while rain dramatically pours in the background like in A Cinderella Story. You probably won’t find out that you’re the princess of a far way country like in The Princess Diaries and lastly, I promise you will not meet a vampire that twinkles in the sunlight who you are so in love with that you’re willing to give up mortality for to be together forever like in The Twilight Saga.
None of those things are true, because sixteen is trivial, it will test you and make you realize that you are much stronger than you think you are.
I know you don’t understand now because unfortunately at sixteen your priorities are off, feeling wanted by a guy or looking a certain way to be happy and being accepted by your friends are all such important aspects of your life, because you think that without those things you are not worthy. However, here’s the thing soon those “important things” will become minuscule compared to some of the difficulties you’ll experience. Things will happen that will be unfair things that you will not deserve, things that will discourage you and make you want to quit. But know that these things will shape you, you will gain wisdom from these unexpected life changing events and you will surprise yourself in learning that no matter how bad one day might be tomorrow is a blessing.
You can be happy, but that only depends on you. The key is knowing that things will be hard, but they will also be great. There will be magical moments and there will be times when you just want to freeze an instant forever so that you can relive it again and again. There will be happiness and innocence and new experiences that you should cherish because these are moments that you will never get back. So live freely and fully, forget that guy who doesn’t appreciate you, don’t mind those mean girls who constantly try to tear you down, be yourself and don’t let anyone change you, because you are beautiful, you are loved, you are good enough and you are perfect in the eyes of someone.
Sixteen is the beginning of the rest of your life, it’s time to start taking things seriously and realizing that soon the comfort that you have always known will be taken away from you, soon you will be expected to create your own reality, your own future. Sixteen will make you or break you, so you can choose to crumble under the pressures of life or you can choose to exceed all expectations by hurdling all obstacles that you may come across. Nobody gets through life being ordinary, so choose to be great and choose to be brave, love yourself because I love you.
