Letter to My Teenage Self

The big two O.

Yes, despite my own disbelief, I have finally turned twenty. Though intrinsically, I highly doubt that my present capabilities would equip me to survive the cannibalizing world of the unknown, sometimes being referred to as adulthood. But then again, I might be wrong; just like how I am, indeed, wrong about most things in life.

And as I ponder about the future and reminisce on the past, all the little bits and pieces that crafted the first two decades of my life started to pounce back into mind. Through the mental evaluation on all the moments of joy/pain/love/hate, I decided I have so much acquired wisdom I'd like to share with the gullible, dubious and frivolous old me. So hey, why not do so in the way I find most accustomed to?

(Letter to my teenage self) 

Dear Carmen,

Granted, at this point in your life, you'd start to doubt the "big" decisions you've made. And more often than not, you'd linger in the midst of "doubting" than actually "doing", investing all your time and energy on avoiding a conceivable mistake. My advice? Don't. I say this because (1) you ended up making some darn good decisions in your life, (2) some mistakes are inevitable and (3) some mistakes need to be made. You will laugh, cry and sometimes wander through these bleak moments, but it doesn't matter because you will survive.

Understand that some people are meant to be in your life forever and some are just passers-by. The onlookers' visits are transitory, though unfortunate but true. Some will serve to teach you a lesson (or be a pain in your ass) and others will gift you the experience of a lifetime. So cherish those who have showed you kindness and forgive the ones who brought you pain. Because you must remember, the ultimatum is that all this is just temporary.

Finally, don't hate what you see in the mirror. Spoiler alert: You're not going to grow 3 inches taller, be 20 pounds lighter or have Blake-Lively-worthy hair (in fact, there comes a time when you held you breath and chopped off your long locks. But that's a story for another time). Don't fret, because beyond obsessing over the unattainable, you'll be blessed with great adventures, meet the loveliest people and learn to accept that your spiritual being, achievements or acuity of mind have the least to do with the way you look or the number on a scale.

Know that, all and all, you'll be okay.

Wait, I take that back. You'll be

happy.

Sincerely,
Me