a letter to my former self

Dear Marcie,

Happy birthday, and welcome to being a teenager. Only a few more months until you'll be in high school! Don't freak out too much; it's just like middle school, only people are generally nicer (and less hormonal). And the high school building smells a lot less. Middle school is the worst.

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a few things. You see, I have the benefit of hindsight, and they say it's 20/20. I'm not going to give you ALL the answers, but here are some pieces of advice that you'll understand as you get older.

First and foremost, you are skinny. I know you don't think that you are because your stomach isn't perfectly flat, but believe me when I say you'll never again be as thin as you are now. Embrace it.

Secondly, you're going to meet a guy this summer and fall in love with him. You're going to be sure that you and this guy are going to get married. You're not. Although it will end painfully (he's going to break up with you in a letter. in the mail.), let it happen. It will be practice for the truly EPIC breakups that are to come (hint: you'll survive those too). The guy you end up marrying will be 100x more awesome than any of them.

Don't get too caught up in the cattiness of your friendships right now. Of course, it's important to have good friends, and you've got a few, but after high school ends you're never going to talk to these people again. I know, you don't believe me and that's fine. You'll see. Speaking of, don't dumb yourself down just because your current group of friends isn't as smart as you. I know that being smart doesn't make you feel very cool, but pretty soon you're going to get over yourself (and those girls aren't really going to be your friends anymore) and you're going to be annoyed that the only reason you don't graduate from high school with a 4.0 is because you wanted to be "cool." Smart is cool. You'll learn that as you get older.

On a related note, move away immediately after high school. It's going to be hard, and you're going to have to fight and claw your way out, but it's going to be worth every meltdown and every dollar spent. Trust me on this. That town is not a place where good things happen for people. Get out.

Be nice to your sister. I know she's an annoying little brat, but she's going to grow up to be an amazing woman and the very best friend that you have. You don't regret much in your life, but you're going to regret all the times you were mean to her. Go give her a hug. Yes, right now. Go on-- she's a pretty cute little kid.

You're going to screw up between now and when you're my age. A LOT. Sometimes epically. Don't let it paralyze you. Pick yourself up and move on. It's not going to be the last time that you screw up. No one has died yet.

A bonus pro-tip: Your mother is (almost) always right. I know, I can't believe it either. Trust me, her rightness never gets less annoying. One day, though, you're going to be my age and really understand how right your mom was all of these years. Also, I know you're telling yourself now that you're never going to be an old mom (like your mom), but you're going to eat those words. It's ok. I know 22 or 23 seems really old to you right now, but it's really not. You're still going to be figuring yourself out until you're at least 26. When you're my age, you're going to be really glad that you weren't a young mom. You'd have screwed it all up.

Your life's gonna be great, kid. Great in ways you can't even imagine now. It's not going to ALL be sunshine and roses, but everything that you do in your life changes you and makes you into the smart and awesome person that I am. I'm positive that you're rolling your eyes at me right now. I wouldn't expect anything else. You are only 13, after all. Maybe tone down the angst just a touch though. It's unbecoming.

Enjoy your birthday and your teenage years.  And when you first hear of a company called Google, buy all the shares of stock that you can afford. Borrow money if you need to. Just trust me on that one.

Love,
Marcie

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Linking up with Jana at Jana Says.