Sometimes, I wish I could pay a visit to my past or future self, to cheer myself on or to see if the decisions I make in the present are right for my future.
Unfortunately, at least right now (you never know, with technology moving so fast), we are unable to do so.
But there is a way to communicate with your past self and future self, that is through letters. I have heard about this concept for quite awhile but never actually did it. Until my favorite lecturer in Uni asked us to do so on the last day of class in my second last semester.
It was a random act; he asked us to write a letter to ourselves, five years back (which was when I was about 16 since I wrote the letter in 2015 when I was 21). The most interesting part was, he collected it, kept all our letters in envelopes with our home addresses, and only sent it back to us this year. So most of us have already nearly forgotten this letter altogether.
When I was writing it in class, I did not think that it would bring much impact, but it was really comforting to read the words, from myself to me. So I thought of sharing the letter with you.
It’s quite surprising, what you have to say to yourself, especially your younger self; and yet find it still suitable to cheer you on at this particular time of your life. So I thought of sharing the letter with you. This is a very personal email, so I am taking deep breaths and pushing away all the fear I have within me to share it with everyone, on the world wide web.
So here goes…..
–
Dear Em,
Okay, this is kind of weird, to be honest, but I think you do deserve this letter, a letter to you from me, who is you, five years in the future. Pretty cool right? 🙂
Anyway, I am just dropping by to say that whatever you are going through right now, be it stupid drama with the drama club(how ironic!), silly issues with the prefects’ board, or even your very first heartbreak over a guy, or constantly feeling like an outsider who is often left out or forgotten; I want you to know that it’s okay. It is not something childish, and I am not going to tell you that these problems are trivial. Because I understand, that right now, to you, it is important. The hurt and pain that you feel are all as real as it can be, but you know what? It’s okay to feel this way.
I am not going to lie; things will get tougher as you continue to grow up. But it’s okay too. Because no matter what happens, you are ALWAYS going to have a constant someone to go through everything with you. No, it’s not some Channing Tatum lookalike* Price Charming or knight in shiny armor that comes to save you. That person, your constant someone, your best friend, superhero, is YOU. Yes, you, Emily Goh Yi En.
Always remember, whatever happens, you are going to be there for yourself, to pick yourself up. It’s okay to break down sometimes when you need to. Even if it means crawling into bed and sleeping for a few days. But do not be afraid, because somehow or rather, you are going to get up again and continue overcoming all life challenges. Remember this; you are your hero.
Cheering you on, emily. 11.12.2015
It sounds pretty cheesy, but when I read it again after receiving it through the mail, I feel a sense of empowerment. I am my own person. And there is no reason I should wait for good things to happen, or whine about having no one to cheer me up when I am down. Because I need to do that for myself. 2015 me knew that, and it was a reminder to 2017 me.
To end this post:
The reason behind the decision to share it here is because I don’t want this place to be only sunshine and rainbows, while ignoring the fact that life has it ups and downs. There are times when you are drowning in your own negativity and cannot seem to get up. Everyone’s journey is different, things that are easy for you may seem intimidating to others. Things that other people don’t worry about, may be the reason that keeps you awake each night. So never compare your journey with others.
If you have those moments when you feel nothing is going right in your life, know that you are not alone, and we are all battling through our personal wars. But it’s okay, because we always have ourselves, the superhero within us, to cheer us on and pick us up each time we fall.
I wish you all the best in your own personal journey.
As much as this is a space for me to share content with you, it is yours as well. If you have something personal you want to share or talk about, or even just go on a rant session, don’t hold back, contact me at emilygohyien.com and we can have a chat, about anything under the sun.
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