Hello L,
If this letter has been received in good health, then you know what my younger self lacked and what it had in abundance.
To my younger self, thank you for not giving up on your hopes and aspirations of immensely contributing to who I have become today. There were times you felt like giving all up but the hope that lived in your heart gave you the strength to carry on.
To my younger self, you wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer badly because then, those were the careers that mattered most to you. Today, I have found a new career path that I enjoy doing. Those two professions were not all that you could be. I didn’t study Law or Medicine in the university. Instead, I read Publishing Studies. This programme of study has enhanced my creativity in writing and passion for books. I am a proud Proofreader and I wouldn’t change that.
To my younger self, at 25, I don’t own a house, a car and I’m not married to the love of my life with two kids. At 25, I am figuring out for myself what it takes to be a better person, how to make myself happy without another’s help. At 25, I have had my share of heartbreaks that have taught me that life still goes on-that I wouldn’t die out of it neither will I end up in the asylum. At 25, I still use trotro and my favourite spot is at the back seat by the window feeling the breeze as it moves.
To my younger self, the adage “opportunity comes but once”, is not the truth. This narrative would have ended me in jobs I didn’t enjoy doing, relationships that would have messed me up drastically, decisions I wouldn’t have recovered from. Instead, opportunities come and go and you would surely get that opportunity that will be of benefit to you, that wouldn’t make you shed sad tears. Opportunities that are worth the wait.
To my younger self, building connections doesn’t mean you are “too know” or all over the place. Building connections help you form your path rightly. Remember, not just any connection; the right one.
To my younger self, being picky about the kind of friends you’d want to associate with isn’t a bad idea. You want friends who would uplift you, not those who would bring you down. You want friends who point out the truth to you without fear of losing the friendship. You want friends who encourage you to do that right thing and not those who constantly want you doing only the bad. You want friends who would understand your silence and your loquacity.
To my younger self, being true to who you are is important. Being true to yourself saves you from shame. It saves you from loneliness. It saves you from unnecessary pressure. It makes you happy, content and free.
To my younger self, being street smart is as important as being book smart. Knowledge is indeed power, that remains the truth.
To my younger self, I am glad we have evolved. We have grown past the mediocrities. We are forging ahead and gradually completing our mould. We will not fail.
Love,
Emefa😘