A Letter to Yourself, Half a Lifetime Ago

[Velma]

(Borrowed from another forum   )

What would you say if you were able to send a letter to yourself at half your current age?

[i_am_i]

I think I'd say something like, "Don't worry about it so much. You'll get through all this and you'll be just fine. But now would be a really good time to stop smoking."

Of course, if I'd received a letter like that back then I probably would have said, "Aw, what does he know?"

[Velma]

Mine would say:

Why don't you take some time off from going to church?  Try to answer some of those questions that you've been locking away.  Read a bit about science in books from the science section at the bookstore and library.  It is never a bad idea to learn more.

[PoopShoot]

Give it up dude, she don't want you.

[Will]

Dear 13 year old Will,

Remember when Mom and Dad said that popularity wasn't important but you didn't believe them because they were unpopular in school? They were right. All the energy you put into fitting in is wasted. School is full of kids who are too afraid to learn about people so they try and fit them all in a box, leading people like you to try and fit in those boxes of preconceptions and forsaking who you really are. It's okay that you like classical music. It's okay that you read comics (some day that will actually be really cool). The less time you spend worrying about the social ladder the easier it will be for other kids on that ladder to become comfortable with you because you're being real. And if they don't like who you really are, then fuck them. You are the author of your story, not them...

...which brings me to the most important thing: you're pretending to believe in god and it's hurting you. I know Mom and Dad have been saying it's all true since before we could even think, but the same thing happened to them and they've never even questioned it. Question it, because you're a bright kid and you know there's something fishy with worshiping the demigod zombie son of a mass murderer by eating flesh and blood while being taught to be ashamed of normal behaviors. Your church is hurting you emotionally and intellectually and your time would be better spent reading or hanging out with friends.

The best stock market investment from 2000 to 2010 is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which grew an amazing 7,895%. If you invest $13,000 in Green Mountain in 2000 (get a job!), you'll have a cool $1m in 2010. And the coffee is pretty good, too.

Be good and have fun. And Allison is lying about being pregnant, so don't sweat it. The odds that a condom fail and birth control fail at the same time are negligible.

[KDbeads]

Mom will never think you've met your potential.  Time to live with it and figure out how best to ignore her constant disappointment.  Your blood pressure will thank you in a few years.

[elliebean]

Dear 18 year old me,

Go see a doctor.

Sincerely,
37 year old me.

PS: Been to the 'other side'; God isn't real.

[Tom62]

Hi, 24 year old me,

You don't have to be shy towards girls, they are not from another planet. One is having a crush on you right now, but you are afraid of opening your heart and showing your feelings. Let yourself go, she is a real cutey. You are doing fine in your job, but it is time now to show and sell it to other people. If you do that than a great future lies ahead of you. BTW don't take that book-keeping course, that your manager think is good for you. You already know that It is an absolute waste of time and money.

[tymygy]

Dump the bitch.

[pinkocommie]

Hey, 14 year old me - your mom doesn't mean to make you feel worthless and she's not really a bad person.  Still, you shouldn't believe everything she says about you - she may not mean to be, but she still is a giant bitch.  Also, encourage your dad to be healthier.  

[MariaEvri]

I would say:
hello older me
dont follow your dreams. You will be miserable. Study something that is sure to get you a job and be happy with it"

[Asmodean]

Dear tiny me,

Not trying is not a good strategy to avoid screwing up. Oh, and your friends are shitheads, just so you know. But you will get a couple of good ones eventually...

Watch out for blood clots!

Good luck, big me.

[Kylyssa]

I wouldn't write young me a letter.  Life was awful but life has been amazing, too.  I wouldn't want to mess with causality because the wonderful has been too damn wonderful to risk and much of the awful has either made me who I am or been the result of being true to myself.  Besides, by age 20 I was off the streets and most of the worst crap had already happened.  Forget the time travel letter, I just want a new body.

[Sophus]

Don't get that haircut.

Seriously, don't.

[Asmodean]

I wouldn't want to mess with causality

I'd write one just to mess with causality  

But that's just me... I'm nosey that way.