A letter from Apr 17, 2025

Dear FutureMe, Happy 23rd birthday. **** sammie? ... 23???? that feels so far away and yet here you are. I don’t know exactly where life has taken you, but I hope you’re proud of yourself. I hope you’re surrounded by people who truly see you, who love you for who you are, not just for what you do and hopefully we are still alive by then…. I know things haven’t always been easy. there were moments when everything felt heavy—like the world was too loud and your heart too tired. but you kept going. you kept showing up, even when it was hard. and that’s something to be proud of, even if no one else says it out loud. I hope you’ve learned to be gentler with yourself. to celebrate your little victories, to rest without guilt, and to love yourself without conditions. I hope you’ve healed in places that used to hurt, and that you’re still growing in beautiful, quiet ways. whenever you are, whatever you’re doing—I’m cheering you on. Please don’t forget how far you’ve come. Don’t forget who you were. And most importantly, don’t forget that you are enough, exactly as you are. With all my heart, Your Younger Self sammie/shamsi