“The older I grow, the more earnestly I feel that the few joys of childhood are the best that life has to give.” – Ellen Glasgow Dear younger me, This is a letter I am writing to you—the little version of me, still immature and childish. You were once excited to grow up and full of light. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows after all, dear. There are things to pay for here and there, packed schedules, and problems piled high. You wouldn’t enjoy it at all. It’s no fun. You were once excited to become an adult, to be free, to be happy. But you’ll soon realize that it is better to be a child without a single worry than to be a teenager who is miserable in life. You’d hate meeting people around you, only to have them talk behind your back. You’d hate how different responsibilities pile up all at once, and how life will force you to grow up. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you won’t feel like you are enough, and you will feel like a failure to everyone around you. When that happens, I hope you remember this piece of advice: it is okay to make mistakes. You are doing a great job. Just be whoever you are. Don’t dwell on the future; live in the present moment. Love, older you "I hope you believe in the you inside tomorrow and dream. Love, older you." – ILLIT