Thursday, July 29, 2010

Letter To My Younger Self


Letter to Annette in 1975

Dear Annette,
I know how disappointed, angry, sad and scared you are at this moment.  You feel like the world has ended and you might as well die.  You are hating the army, your dad and life in general right now.  It's understandable.  You're seventeen and your world has been turned upside down. 

I'm writing this to let you know you're going to be okay.  Your senior year of high school won't be what you planned, but it won't be as awful as you imagine it will be.  You will be surprised at how quickly you make friends and are welcomed into the group.  These new friends are going to help you get through the next year and are even going to throw you a surprise eighteenth birthday party!  You and your mom are going to become closer because she is home and not working.   You're going to learn about compassion, telling the truth and taking responsibility for your actions.  Trust me when I say you will look back on this time and see how you began growing into the woman you are today.

The next fifteen months are going to be emotional, fun, traumatic, heart wrenching, eye opening and essential to who you are becoming!  It's okay to be sad because of what you are leaving behind, but I encourage you to look forward with an open mind to all the possibilities and adventures that are in front of you!

Love,
Annette from 2010

I've mentioned many times that I was an army brat.  In August 1975 my dad received orders to go to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.  We lived outside St. Louis and I had attended my high school for two years and my schedule was set for my senior year.  To say I was devestated is an understatement.  Many offers from friends' parents were made to allow me to stay with them but my parents wouldn't hear of it.  In true seventeen year old fashion, I cried, stomped my feet, yelled and slammed doors.  I just wanted to die!!

My senior year was a disappointment but my friends made it bearable.  If it wasn't for them, I think I would have died on the inside and would be a very different person today.  At that age, your friends and school are your life.  I guess my mom still has the pictures from that time because I couldn't find any and I know there were a lot of them!  The picture above was taken just before we moved.  I was going to a formal banquet at church for all the seniors. (I made the dress!)

If you could write a letter to your younger self, at what point in your life would that be?

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Annette

21 comments:

  1. That's cool that you can look back on that and see how it changed you for the better. It's funny how the things that sometimes seem unbearable can end up being the best.

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  2. Wow...good question...let's see...................

    Don't misread this, I love the way my life has turned out, but there are a few things I would have wanted to do differently.
    1. go away to college and do the dorm life thing...I missed out.
    2. learned to play the piano
    3. travel more while I was young and unattached

    That's about it...nothing too drastic. It is too late for #1, but #2 and 3 can still be conquered ;-) Hope springs eternal.

    Janet xox

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  3. I moved during the summer before my senior year. (Had to go to the 'awful' rival high school across town. Might of well has been the moon.) After 2 days, I was back to happy and excited about it. Then when our younger daughter was 17, we did the same thing to her.

    Funny how things repeat.

    Hugs - Marie

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  4. This is very moving. I think as teenagers we always feel life is over instantly if we do not get to do what we want, as we grow older hopefully, we learn to be more patient. :) T.

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  5. I agree with T. In our youth it is all about the moment. As we get more practice at this thing called life we find out this moment is just that - a moment. What is happening or you are feeling at this moment is rarely permanent. It is another of the millions of up and down moments that make up a life. That said, I HAVE been guilty on occasion of saying "Where's my fast-forward button when I need it"!

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  6. I'm now following :0) I liked your letter to your younger self. If I only knew then what I know now...lol.

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  7. Terrific blog! Happy to have found you via the Friday follows. I'm pleased to be following you. Come by and see me, too! :)

    Maureen

    http://maureenmakesit.com

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  8. This is such a surprise. You have no idea how close I came to doing the EXACT same thing for today's post. Had my little "idea" slip in front of me and everything. But ... then I didn't know what to write that wouldn't be too personal for me. So I didn't write it.

    BUT, I can say it here, without it being post length. I would have written a letter to myself when I was 15, when I was with a horrible, abusive boyfriend and my parents did nothing to help me get out of it. My psychology teacher stepped in and basically saved me. I would have told myself life will be okay, I will be okay. In fact, I'd be better than okay, for that's what I am.

    Thanks, Annette.

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  9. Back in October I did a similar thing. I invite you to go back and read mine. I was prompted to write a note to myself after my daughter had done one herself.
    Thanks for sharing this.
    http://weezershaven.blogspot.com/2009/10/memo-to-myself-after-reading-jessicas.html
    This is where my letter is, in case you're interested.

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  10. Happy Friday!! Stopping by to say Hi!.

    If I'm your newest follower? Yes, I am.

    Thank you for share nice blog,

    http://beonefineday.blogspot.com/

    my community is http://theblogfrog.com/1233755

    Have a nice day.

    Nan
    PS. From Follow Friday 40 and over

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  11. Probably write to the time in my life around when I first met YOU! That life would go on and be so much more fabulous without that unmentionable guy! And that I would have the sweetest peanut in the world on my lap grabbing for everything as I type this! :)

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  12. I'm "over 40," so you know where I came from today.

    This is a moving post, no pun intended. I'm thinking hard about what kind of letter I'd write. I didn't enjoy HS at all, so maybe a letter saying life was better beyond those four years? That the class of '78 didn't define me? Hm...

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  13. stopping by from friday follow 40 and over,, I am your newest follower, love your blog..

    http://www.livelaughlovewiththeponderingprincess.com/2010/07/follow-friday-40-and-over.html


    hmmm probably when I was 17 and thinking of getting married and what a mistake that would be and was, except for my sons nothing good came out of it...

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  14. What a great idea for a post! When we were teenagers we thought that if life didn't go exactly the way we wanted - it would be awful! (Today's teens are the same way - at least mine is!) Ah the lessons we learn from these "dramas".
    Following you from Follow Friday. Can't wait to explore your blog!

    LakeMom
    www.SurvivingMotherhoodwithHumor.com
    www.GuidetoCollegeLife.com

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  15. Time goes by so fast looking back now!
    I am now following you through
    Follow Friday 40+!!
    Peggy Gorman
    http://pegsplay.blogspot.com/

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  16. Oh, I think I want to do this...write a letter to my young self!!! I know we all have regrets...but it's what we make of our lives NOW...that counts!!
    Be blessed...Deb

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  17. What an interesting concept for a blog! I can't wait to read more!

    I'm visiting from FF 40+ Blog Hop!

    http://www.newjerseymemories.com

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  18. Loved this post. As for the question, I'm only 23 so I have no idea where I would start. I do wish some things were different starting at 21, but that's beyond my control. Lovely blog =)

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  19. Lovely post! I suppose I would write a letter to myself in high school, as well, and tell that lonely girl not to worry - her knight in shining armor will finally arrive and be well worth the wait.

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  20. I became a mother at the age of 17 and if I could write a letter about any time in my life it would be then. My husband and I did very well actually but some traumatic things happened during that year and I've often said if I knew then what I know now.
    I am a new visitor and follower from Over 40 FF.
    I hope when you have the chance you will stop by to say hello.
    doreenmcgettigan.blogspot.com/ they say everyone has a story..

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  21. Probably a letter to myself 31 years ago, when my son died and I was 23 and knew I would die to. I would tell myself that the time of hating God and life would in some ways strengthen me and when I least expect it, life would change and I would find God again...but then again, He wasn't the one that was lost, I was!

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