Dear 10 Year Old Me

In the spirit of those websites where authors write letters to their teen selves, I’ve been inspired these past few days to write to my younger self.  I keep getting stuck on the tremendous volume of advice I feel I should give the younger me.  Also, I’m going a little younger than the teenaged years, let’s say, oh around age 10, because I was always a bit precocious when it came to angst and worry and I’m quite sure it was in full swing by 5th grade at the latest. So how do I start advising such a troubled little soul with the weight of the world on her shoulders? For starters, you will be successful at anything you try (that’s really try, not just say you are going to try, like the several half-hearted attempts you’ve made at backyard organic gardening).  You will be relatively financially secure, which will seem impossible to you now, but trust me, reading all those books pays off in the long run. You will be a good friend. You will have really good friends who don’t judge you, and who will watch your back and think you are super cool, not weird and chubby which is how you think everyone sees you right now, which is probably pretty accurate. Also, you will grow tall and love music and have a strong sense of self. Those are all really good.  You will sometimes feel like you are on cloud nine with movie stars and rock stars and fun and interesting people all around. You will sometimes feel the total opposite of that. But you learn to move through it all and keep enjoying yourself and stay curious about everything. It’s a good trait, born out of all those books. So keep reading. Also, the whole Grease obsession that kicks in a couple of years down the road? That sorta pans out for you too.