A letter from January 29th, 2021

Dear FutureMe, Heyo :) I hope you are alive and well, and doing better than you are right now. I'm sitting here listening to Bill Withers, Ain't No Sunshine and sipping some coffee. Covid is, as you know, still around. I hope to god by the time you receive this letter these lockdowns will be nothing but a distant memory. Well, I hope 2026 is far enough in the future to get rid of this infuriating virus. When you read this, you will be turning 21 years old, you'll have graduated from high school 3 years ago, and are hopefully onto bigger and better things. I wonder if you are following the dream you had since you were in grade 7, that present me still has, in the future. In case you aren't, and you've forgotten what the current plan is, I am reaaaaally hoping to do my bachelors in Germany, either in a liberal arts course or international business. Whatever you are doing right now, even if it isn't what I have in mind right now, I hope you are happy. I hope you have people around you who challenge you to be your best self. I hope that no matter where you are, you are still in contact with Rowan. I hope that the fam is doing better than we are right now, and that everything is sorted. I hope that the world is calmer (though somehow I doubt the world will ever be calm). Knowing that you (you? me? aren't we the same person?) are somewhere in the world reading this email, alive and well, gives me hope. Future me, you deserve the world, no matter what you say to yourself. If things go they way I'm hoping, you'll be a pretty cool person. Present and past me are rooting for you to do everything you ever dreamed of, and to remind you that YOU ARE STILL HERE! YOU ARE 21 YEARS OLD! There was a time you weren't sure if you would make it this far, so keep going. Wake up, see the sunrise, go on adventures, travel and explore new places, meet new people, kick *** at any profession. This is a reminder to go take on the world and be happy. Be you. Be the person you've always dreamed of being. 15-year-old you kind of resents a lot of people, including herself, and is sick of getting up in the morning. But I keep doing it. I do it because I hope that in 5 and a half years time, you'll be ok. Better than ok, I hope you'll be doing great. I started writing this letter on the 29th, but I couldn't think of much else to write, so I am continuing it today, the 30th of January 2021. I thought it might be cool to tell you all about my life now, so you can look back and laugh at how stupid or young or ignorant I am. Or, you were. I don't really know how to address this letter. At moments, it even feels like I'm writing to a completely different person, though I guess that's what you are. 5 years from now, I won't be the same as I am now. Anyways, life right now. Your best friend is of course, Rowan, and things are going really well for us right now. We are talking for hours over google meet, watching movies, going for walks, and today I even dragged them to go skating with me. I started talking to my guidance counsellor every week now because I can feel all the anger that I have pushed down in the last year coming up now. I am doing school online, though Monday we start back half-and-half, one day in class, one day at home. Your brother is getting home from international travel tonight, and of course the lucky ******* gets to quarantine in the house. So we all are staying at the cottage, which wasn't an issue until schools randomly decided to open. So now I'm missing some school and Mom and I will have to drive to school the days I am going. Which means we have to leave at around 5 30 to make it on time. Anyways these concerns will be forgotten soon enough, especially by 2026. Weird to think that can even be a year, y know? OH big news, I like coffee now?? I know it's a bit ridiculous, but I genuinely like drinking it now. Mom made a biiiiig mistake teaching me how to use the coffee maker :D I don't even think I mentioned it yet, but HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!!!! Wow you are old lmao, how does it feel to be an actual adult? Did you take a gap year to travel and work? Have you travelled a lot? Did you go to study internationally? If so, did you come home often? How are your brothers doing right now? If you are studying right now you'll still be in school, somewhere doing your bachelors, so I assume you don't have a job. Are you still single? Do you have a friend group you go on adventures with? Even thinking about my future makes my head spin a little. 5 years feels like nothing but a lot at the same time. And so much can change in the next 5 years, the thought of it terrifies me and excites me at the same time. I think I'll try and wrap this email up now, seeing as it is getting a bit long, though I hope you'll appreciate present/past me (you?) taking the time to do this. Who knows though. OH and if you haven't done it recently, it might be cool to email Mme Blais, let her know what you're doing and where you are. Hopefully you haven't totally forgotten about her haha Remember future me, you are loved and deserve love. And no matter how stuck you feel, remember where you came from and what you really want in life. Do what makes you happy. Many people around me have told me I'm a bit cynical these days, so I'm trying to have a more positive outlook on things. Have an amazing day/night future me! Till we meet again. -M (15 years old)