Letter To Me

There is a song by Brad Paisley that is called "Letter to Me." I am sure that I have heard it but I am not sure that I ever really listened. That is, until today. My favorite morning show team decided to take the idea from the song and write letters to themselves at age 17. Some of the letters were funny and some heart warming. I thought it would be fun to think about what I would tell myself at 17 if I could write a "letter to me."

The song begins like this...

"If I could write a letter to me
And send it back in time to myself at 17
First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed
There's a Skoal can and a Playboy no one else would know you hid
And then I'd say I know it's tough
When you break up after seven months
And yeah I know you really liked her and it just don't seem fair
All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare"

The song goes on with verses similar to that above. I encourage people to listen to it. It's fun and a really interesting idea!



Dear Lauren,

Hi! It's me. Your older self. How can I prove it? Just look down at that silly "NLS" tatoo you got when you were 15. You will have that covered up with a little black heart next year. The dove tatoo below the "NLS" and the heart that will soon cover the "NLS" will stretch tremendously later in life when you have a baby. You probably should have picked a different spot on your body for a tatoo or not had your high school boyfriend's initials tatooed on your hip at all for that matter. I know it will seem like the end of the world when the two of you break-up, but trust me, it's for the best.

When you are deciding which college to attend, think long and hard about the type of education that you want to receive and where you want to spend the next 4 years of your life. I know it will be hard to leave your friends behind, but in the long run you want to be in a positive environment where you can flourish. Partying is fun, but it will not get you ahead in life.

I know that at 18 it's almost impossible to know what you want to do with your life, but choose your college courses wisely. Focus. These are some of the best days of your life, but they are also going to be instrumental in shaping the future you.

Don't worry so much about your high school and college boyfriends and relationships. Though all of the boys and your relationships with them will play a role in who you are to become, none of them will become your husband. Don't let yourself lose sight of your dreams because you think "no one will love you like he does." Someone else will love you more than he ever did.

Accept challenges. Don't be afraid. All of the things that happen to you will help to make you a better person in the future. You have to learn to face adversity in order to become strong.

Some of the very best and some of the very worst things will happen to you between the ages of 20 and 30. Keep in mind during times of hardship that time and faith are the only two things that will heal your pain. You can always count on your family to be there for you. Don't take them for granted. You will develop friendships with people who will become like family and be there for you when family cannot. Be thankful for these people each and every day.

July 17, 2004 will be a very special day for you. Look forward to this day!

September 8, 2005 will be the best day of your life thus far. You will receive the most precious gift that God and your husband could ever give. Love and cherish every minute with this most precious, wonderful person. She will grow up faster than you think!

Love yourself and your appearance now. As you get older, you will look back at today and think "Wow! I really did look good back then!" Try to focus on the big picture. Worry less. Love more. Be proud of who you are and what you will become.

Love,
Me

P.S. A very important note to self. You will thank me for this later. Don't use credit cards. Save your money and pay with cash. Credit card debt can last a lifetime. Be careful and spend wisely!

*****
Thoughts?

In writing this letter to myself, I thought about all the things that I could have warned myself about. I realized that I would not be the person who I am today if all the bad things had not come along with the good. The bad times were bad. Really bad. Bad things happen and I have made poor choices. The important thing is that I learned. I continue to learn. On the other hand, the good has been extraordinarily good! I am extremely lucky. I have been blessed. And best of all, I am proud of "the me" that the 17 year-old Lauren became.