Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Dear 16 year old me....

Being an adult, isn't all sparkles and puppy dogs. It's hard, challenging, surprising and complicated. You will get let down, disappointed, and hurt. You will hurt other's. You will say things you mean and things that ARE mean. You'll say things to hurt other and other's will say things to hurt you, sometimes on purpose, and sometimes in spite.

You will do things you never thought you'd have to do, all in the name of being a wife, a daughter, a sister, and eventually, as a mother. Some of these things will hurt you more than it will hurt them. You will fight with your husband, you will fight with your mother (still), you will fight with your sister (still.....), and you will fight with your kids.

You will also fight FOR your kids, and this is a fight that is worth fighting, no matter how many times or for how long the fights will last. Always fight for your kids, and your marriage, and all important relationships. These are the fights that are worth it.

You will be capable of so much more than you ever imagined, some of those things will make you happy and some won't. But no matter what, the saying is true, it will make you a stronger and better person because of it.

You will say goodbye to people that you love. Some will choose to walk out of your life, and some don't get the choice. Be there. Always be there to say goodbye. Don't wait until it's too late.

THAT boyfriend, yes THAT one.....is NOT the one. And neither is the next one or the one after that or the one after that.....you get the picture. Trust me, you will know when "The One" comes along. You'll know it the day you meet him. You will also know he will be the man you will marry. And you will marry him, yes you will.

And speaking of boyfriends, they aren't the only thing worth your time. Spend time with friends and family, leave the boyfriend behind sometimes. If you don't, you will miss out on some amazing friendships. Friends (usually) last a lot longer than boyfriends.

And yes, you will have kids. Amazing kids. Fantastic kids. The best kids on the planet. They will show you how to love in a way that is simply indescribable in words. They will open up places in your heart  that you didn't know existed, and that were simply reserved for just for them, not just "any" kids, but YOUR kids. You will often feel inadequate as a mother, and you will learn as you go. Nothing will prepare you for what life as a mother is like. Just go with it. And try SOOOO hard to take it easy on yourself. You will never be a failure unless you allow yourself to be. You will be an awesome mom, even though you will feel like the worst many times.

And growing up doesn't mean you are growing old. Yes, you will get older, but with each passing year, more and more amazing things will happen.

You will cry on your wedding day. You will cry when you give birth. You will cry when someone you love passes on. You will cry for so many reasons, but for every tear you shed, you will smile a million smiles. Everything happens for a reason, everything....good, bad, and in between.

And that man you marry, he will love you like no other man ever has, will, or can. He will make you crazy and love you to death, even when you don't deserve his love, he will still give it to you. Treat him good and thank him for everything he does for you. He will do so much, from the dishes and caring for the kids; to working a job he hates, just to take care of you the way a man takes care of his family. Be good to him, even when you think he doesn't deserve it, because that's probably when he will need it the most.

and here's the thing....growing up is easy, knowing what to do while you there is the tough part.

Love,

The 31 Year Old You

1 comment:

Michelle said...

god, i seriously wish i had received a letter EXACTLY like this from myself in the future, when i was 16 :) so, so, so, so TRUE. *sigh*