{"title":"A letter to a younger self","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDear Natalia, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHappy Birthday, little one!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou are fifteen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI’m sure you’ve heard this a thousand times already, but man, time sure does fly. When did you stop being this bucked tooth little girl, always ready with her sassy snapple facts and wicked burns. You're a teenager now, but your wisdom never ceases to amaze me, you are truly wise beyond your years,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that or its the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etism\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, lol.   I want you to know how much I’ve enjoyed the time that I’ve gotten to spend with you, I’ve had such a blast getting to know \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyou\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and the young woman you’ve started to become. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI can’t wait to see what you do next. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI want you to know that you is kind, you is important, and we will get back to all the things you is, in a quick moment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOh to be fifteen again…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt's easy because you don’t pay rent but it's hard because it's the first time you’re actually experiencing life and now there’s all these goddamn raging emotions. Sprinkle some parental trauma into the mix and now life can sometimes feel too overwhelming. But I want you to take a deep breath and please know: that it is all going to be okay. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust breath, girl. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI get it, though. You're a teenager, I’ve been there before. This is the first time you're getting to experience life and what it feels like to actually be disappointed by your parents. When you were a kid, it didn’t hurt so much, did it? When we’re no longer blinded by the lenses of our youth, their transgressions start to stab at our inner child, forever marking us like a burn. It’s taken me thirty years of my life to stop being angry at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethem\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. In fact, I was angry for so long and for no reason when really, they were just trying their \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebestess\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Do we all have different versions of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etheir \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebest, absolutely. But sometimes their best is actually \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etheir \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebest and we have to take them for how they come because they’re still our parents.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAww sweetie, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI imagine you saying.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTruth be told Natalia, that's all that our parents really can do \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(it IS their version of their best\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) and also remember: this is their first time in life too and they’re working with the same (but different) traumas from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etheir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e youth. Trauma is cyclical and I’m seeing now that sometimes it takes the younger generation to have to break it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor the record, I’m not excusing bad behavior and you are allowed to be angry. It's a right of passage. Food for thought, I read once that your family will always be the first to let you down because they were the first ones to love you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust don't be angry for too long, okay?    Promise?      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCircle for yes, ignore for no. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon’t let this small blip of time in your life hold you back from your bright and exciting future, your life is just starting to begin, so get freaking excited, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ekid!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e I know you won't be held back though, you already sound so driven in what you’ll be doing in the next chapter of your life, I’m in awe of your already well thought out vision of it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI’m so proud of you, keep going.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e And trust me, little one, you don’t want to wake up at thirty and realize you’ve let the personal vendetta against the ghosts of your past, be the reason you held yourself back. Really, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eseriously,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e  try not to hold yourself back in anything, not in school, not in your career, and especially not in your own happiness and self worth. This anger we all differently carry, is just not worth it at the end of the day. Life is hard as it is, we don't need to be our own enemy too, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewhere’s the peace in that?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e I want you to know that these things that hurt us are only temporary, and like us, they will always turn into dust. How long you stand there with dirt in your sweaty ass hand, is entirely up to you. What I’ve learned after losing Sienna is that there is no more time to be this type of angry anymore. So, homework check: how many times did you and I watch Frozen together?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLet that shi- gooooooooo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSing it with me now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLet it go, let it goooooooo.........I know you know the words. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI’ve finally come out of the cave of my own ignorance and I’m here to tell you: one day you’ll realize it is by your own hand that you can remain shackled inside yourself and it is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyou alone \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethat holds its imaginary key. Sometimes I fear I’ve wasted these last few years of my life staying mad at others, when really it is I and I alone that can heal these parts inside of me. I too understand that anger that comes from getting hurt by the ones we're supposed to love and be loved by. I see you, and I get it. But we were not made in their image to stay mad forever. This is life, and they say we were supposed to be made out of love…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon’t be like me, Natalia, even though I’m your favorite. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(heh heh)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e I’ve clung onto the excuse that ‘tomorrow will come’ for far too long because for us, it always did.  Losing Sienna has made me realize that we are no exception to death, nor are we of time. My biggest piece of advice to you is: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edon’t start wasting \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyours\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon’t waste it on being sad, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(and\/or even depressed) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edon’t waste it on blaming others, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(not even yourself)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, don’t waste it on people who are not worth your energy, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(because you are valuable),\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and don’t waste it on things you don’t love doing, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(because isn’t that the whole freaking point?) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen I was your age I couldn’t wait to leave the house and go experience the world by myself. But let me tell you in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebig\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sisterly warning, the world out there can be a mean and stinky place and you could\/might get bruised up a bit. But no matter what, we always get up, we rub some dirt in it,  because \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyou’ll be fine, sweetie. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd always know that your family, your sisters, me, we will always be in your corner, cheering you on. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI want you to know that no matter what, you are strong, you are important, and you fucking got this. And all \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this is just life and as my little Asian grandma always tells me, life will always have its ups and downs. Much like water, it ebbs and it flows, what truly matters is how we choose to receive it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKeep growing, little one, don’t stop. Don’t stop falling in love with YOUR life and most importantly don’t forget to fall in love with yourself. The world will always be what YOU make it, just be a good person and you got this.  I promise the dark days will start to become far and few between the more you claim your independence, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyou just have to be willing to ask yourself the right questions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Don’t be afraid to deep-dish-dive into your mind because the only way out of this stinking chaos we call life is through. And this life we’ve been gifted is beautiful. In all its ups, downs, and in betweens, we are blessed.  Don’t forget to enjoy it!!! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlus, our angels are watching and they told me they don't want us to be sad anymore. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe're too pretty to be sad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e I know Sienna and your Pipo are dancing right there next to you with a smile on their faces, don’t ever forget it. Be proud to show them your world and don’t forget to chase your dreams.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u0026lt;3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e________________________________________________________________________\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat I wish I told myself when I was your age: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Don't \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elisten\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to the bullshit. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Seriously, stop. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Also→Don’t \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecare too much\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e about the bullshit. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*it’s mostly shit and it's a waste of your bull. Make it make sense. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Also, you could get wrinkles from all the stress, so, just breathe girl. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Your boobs will come. If not, then you can just buy them. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*I said what I said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Stop blaming your mother. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Don't worry, we all do it, but the sooner you stop the sooner you’ll thank yourself. Trust. *Food for thought: Perhaps everyone in the world has their own personal demons, even our mothers, who sit on their ivory pedestals in the eyes of their own daughters. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*We are only human, it is in our nature to be hurt by any and all such traumas. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*But it is on us to overcome it.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-You are in charge of your own happiness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Please don’t ever leave the house without this one: it is the anecdote for our inherited shame. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Food for thought: (...your turn…) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-So don't listen to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebullshit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*You are in control of what hurts you. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Don't waste your time giving these ghosts the power to touch your inner child.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*Take care of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eher\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, take care of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyour sisters,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and always take care of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eyou\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLastly,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Everyone poops. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e________________________________________________________________________\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI love you forever. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHappy Quince Natalia!! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLove, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAri \u0026lt;3333333\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0793\/4171\/5710\/collections\/Just_chill_girl.png?v=1771258535","url":"https:\/\/mkynsp-jj.myshopify.com\/collections\/frontpage.oembed","provider":"the letter_33","version":"1.0","type":"link"}