A letter from Sep 9th, 2021

Dear Future Madison, How are you feeling in this moment right now? I'm feeling okay. It's definitely not been the best year, or the worst, but I have been feeling fine and actually I've been feeling better than earlier this year. I have been making some friends which is great and also losing some. The good thing is that some of the people I've lost has been a big relief. Are you still talking to Liana? If so has she gotten better? I know she got you involved in way too much that should never have happened and it really hurt to lose her but I wonder if we ever become friends again. Are you still doing cheer? Did you join Northerns team? Wait...Did you make varsity? Cheering right now is amazing. It's an escape from everything else. I have great friends that feel like family and it's just what I love doing. Are you still at Motor City for your last year? Did you get on Love again? I hope things have gotten better for our mental health. Some hopes and dreams I have for the future is of course being a Marine Biologist. How is that working out? I wonder if I will do well in high school and find some best friends. How is Prince? I hope he is still alive right now. He always makes us feel better. Do you have a job? I want a job. As soon as I turn 14 I'm determined to get one, I really need to start getting more responsibilities and the money, duh. Do you like your job? I mean you're 17 so you better have one Madi! I hope that you're happy, when we're happy it's the best feeling ever. I hope we are friends with Peyton still, she's the best. Have you thought about any collages? Still thinking about Nova Southeastern University? I hope we go there, it would be like a dream. Accomplishments, I hope we have done a lot lol, Have you kept your grades up? It's only the 3rd week of school so I have all A+ not to flex or anything. Did you finally get your backhandspring? Tuck? Full? Or is stunting still your #1 strength I love is stunting. Have you ever tried a Stunt? I know Coach Amber really wanted us too. Okay but I hope we either are on Love or Varsity at Northern or a Level 6 at whatever gym we may be at because, omg I want to go to Worlds so so so so so bad! Have we been? Gosh that would be absolutely amazing… if so did we win? Or at least get in the top 10? Did you finally meet your online friends? How was Paris? Did you go at 16 or did we wait like Julie said? Do we have any big goals for the future coming up? Wow this is kinda a big one right now. There are a lot of issues going on right now but also a lot of very good things. Friends at school are confusing, LT, SS, AA, and all of that. I just can't figure out if I even should try talking to them anymore. Do we end up back as our group or do we find better people? I know PK is a real one and Sean what ever happened with him? Do you still talk, I hope so. Did the whole RG situation ever clear up? I know even right now where I'm less than 10 feet away from her she hates me. Anyways on the bright side, How are your friends now? I wonder if people like Sean and Peyton and Molly are still around. This whole letter kinda talks about this but, Positives would be Cheer and my friends. Negatives would also be friends and my out of nowhere social anxiety that I've never had before because I have always been a social butterfly, until Covid of course. I wonder if we're social again, it's so much easier haha, but for positive reasons I am finally getting happy after all that weird Covid era. Also Love is amazing. I didn't think I would be on level 6 at 13 lol, 13 is literally the first age you can even be on level 6. I'm actually very proud of myself. Okay Madi, Don’t overthink everything it won't get you anywhere, go for what you want I promise it's worth the shot. Don’t assume people don’t like you just by looking at them. Sit with those people they may become lifelong friends, you never know! Be strong and stay strong even when it may be hard you got it, I know you do :). Your Past Self, Madison Salow