A letter from June 24th, 2020

Dear FutureMe, I write to you on the eve of your 21st Birthday. This is a time in your life which is meant to be tremendously exciting! The next chapter of my life is just beginning and I have so much for which to look forward. Tomorrow is the day when I can finally purchase alcoholic beverages legally! Now I've been enjoying some adult beverages for the past several years, but now I can do so in a manner which is approved by the majority of the American population. Anyway, I do not write this letter to remind you of the joys of drinking, instead I'd like to use this tool as way to sharpen your mind and remind you of your goals and the path that will allow you to achieve them. I've done so well in winning over mom and dad throughout the past year. I understand that they truly love both me and our nuclear family. There is not a single thing that they wouldn't do to ensure the prosperity and joy of our house. They have worked to gain so much in their lifetimes and they only hope to pay it forward as a gift to us and generations of our family to come. In realizing their purpose we can move forward and work to understand our own. Our purpose is to bring joy to our own life. Currently the majority of joy and warmth I experience comes from my blood related nuclear family. They are the only ones to show dedication through thick and thin, and a commonality which delves beyond that of any simple friendship. Therefore in order to cultivate joy within our own life, we must seek to extend and create a family of our own. There are a few suggested steps to help guide you if you are struggling by the time this email reaches you. Now I do want to mention that I cannot currently predict what will happen to the population on a global scale within the next five years, so in the event that the Corona Virus is still raging or something even crazier such as nuclear war has erupted then disregard much of what I am about to say and just focus on surviving. Anyway, the first step to starting the ideal family is finding the ideal match, and if you haven't gotten that far by the time this email reaches you then you really need to be focusing on putting yourself out there more. You're a likable person that attracts the warmth of others. You have had no trouble making friends for the majority of your life and you just need to focus on putting this energy towards people with whom you can create romantic connections. I really think if you don't currently have any prospects in mind then you really need to focus on putting yourself out there more. Try some new avenues, such as taking a class, visiting some new bars, or try some new online software, but really just work on talking to more people. Anyway, I'm fully confident that you have the ability to be beyond this step by the time the letter reaches you, or you'll at least have acquired some new experience by then. I am not certain, but confident that your perfect match will be driven towards success, funny, gorgeous, and will have a family that is at least tolerable. You'd be very lucky to find a girl smarter than yourself, someone whom being near gives you pride. Someone that encourages you to be at your best, while also applying little pressure. Ideally, this person would be someone that you are driven to awake beside every morning. If you've already found this person that's great and I cannot wait to meet her. And, that brings us onto the next step. Creating a family is pointless if you cannot provide them with the same amount of joy that your own family has brought you. This incredible source of joy is derived from finding the perfect balance between presence and provision. You need to be able to interact with your family on a daily basis, and be able to appreciate them for that which they give you. On top of this, between you and your spouse, you must find a way to adequately provide for your family. You must be able to provide your children with a childhood that is at the very least equitable to your own. Unfortunately, providing for this childhood will cost money, which can only be furnished through the combination of a job and strategic investments. It is important that you find a partner who has a desire to work for a living, as a single income may not be sufficient. Honestly, I've done a great job putting us on a path to earn beyond the median. As long as you don't screw anything up in the next five years we should be all set on this front. The one thing I'd like to remind you of is that although family provides the ultimate life experience, it is essential that you do not ignore the quest for true friends. It is here on the eve of your 21st birthday that you sit isolated because the friends you have chosen to live with would rather be doing other things than bringing in the new year of life with you. Now it is important that we do not ignore ourselves for a certain portion of the events unfolding this evening. We are not the best at advocating for that which we truly desire. We could have chosen to plan some grandiose event, but you and I both know that what we want is for other people to recognize us without recognizing ourselves, and it is tough to find people to do this. It is unfortunate that we have chosen to surround ourselves with people who do not operate at this capacity in the moment, but all we can do is rise above, and aim to inspire the world by offering that which we desire in others. Enough wallowing in the macabre of the moment, why don't I end this message by sharing a bit about my current situation and the prosperity of the times. The year is 2020, and it has been nothing but chaos. What started with an utter rager, has quickly transgressed into surreal madness. The Corona Novel Virus first appeared in the world news circuit in early January, and reached the US by early March with national lockdowns and an air fear which has yet to let up. Masks have become a normal part of everyday life, and those who continue to execute a wide net of in-person social interactions are shunned. Our family including myself have managed to dodge the virus, which has been quite impressive. Following this a massive resurgence of the BLM movement has swept the nation, following a number of deaths caused by the overuse of police force. Personally, I have participated in a march in Vermont, as well as raising over $200 for the NAACP legal defense and education fund. On top of this, in the spring semester, I did not have to convert any classes to pass/fail despite my poor adaptation to distance learning. Overall, the first half of the year has been pretty good for me despite the number of upsets and setbacks I have faced. I really hope tomorrow will be a day to remember, and that I can carry this energy forward for the next five years. However, I need to keep in mind that I shouldn't be putting too much pressure on one specific day of my life and I need to be grateful for what I have regardless of what happens. I cannot wait to find out how you receive this letter. Love, the only one that truly matters, yourself, Wil Reuben Repka