To my younger self:
Life has been beautiful; life has been hard. It is like whack-a-mole, you hit one thing and another comes up. I get it. Would you believe me if I told you that it does get better? One day, you will be filled with immeasurable joy beyond your comprehension. As you make your way there, I would like to give you some advice for the journey:
- Be Humble: Culture will try to tell you that you are the most important person and the world revolves around you. It doesn’t. While your needs are important, they do not supersede everyone else’s. You are incredibly valuable… just like every other person on this planet. Do not live to satisfy your needs at the expense of someone else’s. The Apostle Paul says, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Quiet confidence is the real flex. 2.
- Dream big: If your dreams are not impossible, are they really dreams? Italian painter, Michelangelo, once said, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” Failure is scary, I get that. You know what’s more frightening, though? The eulogy that is written for your dreams as they descend 72 inches below ground. Terrifying. Step out on faith, and watch how God works. You have the Creator of the Universe on your side; He will guide your every step.
- Resilience wins: When life gives you lemons, make strawberry Fanta. When all the cards are stacked against you, design a new deck. And my personal favorite, “for the righteous falls seven times and rises again.” Life will not always look as you expect; you must continue walking forward. Adapt where you can, and make the beauty out of the unexpected. Resilience is your superpower.
There you have it, younger me, some of the things I wish I had known at your age. The very last thing I would like you to know is how I am so incredibly proud of you! You have worked so hard and overcome so many obstacles. I love you. You are loved.
Your older and wiser self,
Tay