I am quite the daydreamer and often think of
how much I have changed since my teens. I don’t think I know the teenage me
anymore. Of course, I could blame it on maturity, aging, and life. But I wish I
could meet her and tell that it’s okay. She will make it, survive and find her
niche. That, it’s okay if she isn’t the best. Not everyone can be that. People
need to be average too but they need to be really good at being average.
Dear Nikki,
Yes, you will hear this version of your name more often, thanks to the
husband.
Now don’t panic. Things are really okay, good even. You have achieved a
few things, lost many but you have survived. As I write to you, I hope you read
this piece at least twice over as things may not sound like the stuff you’d
chosen to do. Nope, there has been no murder yet though the temptation is
strong. You haven’t been implicated in any crime too. Congratulations on that 😉!
Jokes apart, let’s discuss the serious stuff. You are 18. It’s a
beautiful time. I love the fact that you are in a place that’s going to shape
your future even though you have no clue right now. It is going to make you
stronger, more resilient, and super bitchy. Yes, these are the magic
ingredients that are going to help you sail through the turbulent 20s. The reality
is that not many people are going to like you, and this is okay. As long as you
learn to make peace with this fact (will take a long time coming), everything
will be fine. You have always been intuitive and stick to this-this is your
golden snitch. It is this intuition that’s going to keep you sane and help you
make the right decision even among a lot of opposition. Stick to your gun
always. Go by your gut instinct and always believe in yourself.
Life is what you make of it. People will advise, especially the parents.
The mothership will try, probe, and even emotionally blackmail. But no, don’t
give in. At 33, I pride myself to have made a life without listening to what my
mother says, and it's safe to say, I have carved my own niche.
Right now, you may think you are in love, but it is far from it. The
current idiot you are dating doesn’t deserve you from miles away. Don’t fall
for his crocodile tears or for the lack of them. He is dumb, and you are not.
If you think this is the end of the road, yeah, it is. But there are other
roads to explore!
A word of caution – you can cry as loud as you want. Stomp your feet.
Break things. Shout. But never settle for anything less than you deserve
(especially this boy). Each time you have to make a decision, you are going to
doubt yourself. This is fine. Self-doubt is good. It also means that you gotta
do what you gotta do. Continue to read books, buy them for yourself. Buy as
many shoes as you want. Dress up; wear that lipstick, flaunt those legs. You
are who you want to be. Most importantly, speak your mind. I cannot tell you
how much lighter I feel now that I say what I say and when I say it.
And if you can’t bring yourself to trust anyone right now, it is cool.
In a few years, you’ll meet someone who loves you for your craziness. He will
want you as you are – weird, wild, vagabond. That’s the guy you want to spend
your life with.
Be fiercely loyal to your few friends. It doesn’t matter if you are not
in touch or if they seem different to you right now. They have your back. All
it takes is a phone call, and yes, you will have to make the first call. Take
risks, change jobs. Experience everything. Drink, get drunk. Dance the night
away. In your many years until 33, there are hardships, lots of tears, loss of
life, lots of love, travel, upheavals, sleepless nights, fights, and so much
more. But you are going to survive it all.
So, at 18, if you think you are lost, it is okay. We all are. What’s
even the fun of arriving at your said destiny so soon? Trust me (like you have
any other option 😐), the struggles make it all the more worthy.
As I pen my last few words to you, I’ll say – hang in there. The answers will
come to you. You have got to have your own back. Love wholeheartedly, hate
fiercely too. Guard your heard and protect your friends. You are good hands –
Yours!
Yours sincerely,
Older Me.
P.S. This post was originally published on Medium. To read, click here
Ha Ha Ha. Lovely article.
ReplyDelete