Dear Almost Twelve Year Old Me,

You have no idea what you are about to do. Honestly, you are young and don't understand the depth of decisional consequences yet.

That being said, the next five years of your life will push. You will cry. You will be broken down. You will find out being on top is lonely. You will see how being responsible - burdened really - for so long will wear down your physical body.

You are too young to be treated like an adult. Be young. Be childish.

Don't rush into anything. *Sigh* Who am I kidding? You're me, of course, you will rush into things without fully thinking about it.

You think while you do. Then you overthink and miss amazing opportunities.

There is no in-between.

Just...just don't forget. Always remember.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by stress. You're gonna go far. Believe it.

And I'm not where you wanted me to be. I'm still in the US. We still live at home. I'm not choosing the career you wanted for us.

I'm not this really cool person. I'm still me. But, that's a good thing, isn't it?

I don't want to pretend to be someone else or act differently for others; I want to be me.

Thank you for making the choices you did. Although, through some of those choices, I'm still dealing with the consequences. That's okay. I'm okay.

I'm glad you wanted to grow up. We've always been the type to bot act our age (most of the time we act older than what we are).

I trust your judgement. You have a good head on your shoulders.

Unless it comes to dating. You. Are. The. Worst. That good head of yours isn't on your shoulders. I don't know where it is, but don't listen to him. None of them.

You'll understand when your life falls apart.

That's the thing about falling. Once you fall, there's really only one thing to do, plant your feet.

"Plant your feet and try not to shrug."

11/1/2019