Letter To Self

Pausing to write a letter has become rare in this time of emails, texts and personal messaging. In spite of this, there is one letter – if written – can open us and speed our self-awareness and healing of old wounds.  It also supports meditation, deepens connection with our intuition, as well as a fuller understanding of and compassion for others.

Let’s write that letter with pen to paper, the old-fashioned way. A letter to self. By doing it, we remain thoughtfully focused on each word and how we feel writing them.

Dear Self

It is a letter to ourselves. No, not our now-self but the one when we were younger. It might be a much younger-us when we were still finding our way in this world, even when we pretended we knew just what we were doing. It was part of growing up.

Maybe it is to an us in middle years when strains and stresses were adding up. It could even be to ourselves of not so long ago when our life presented options. No matter which fork in our life path we chose, it took us away from others.

What Did We Gain?

No matter the us we decide to write to, what do we want to say to that past-us? Are we grateful for lessons learned?  Or understandings we now have about those happenings?  Maybe we want to share advice or how that past is shaping how we see today.

What Did We Learn?

Maybe we will surprise ourselves by wanting to write more than one letter, each to a different stage in our lives.  We can say anything we want and feel.

Sharing My Letter

Dear Teen-Age Self,

You may not recognize me, but I know you well. We have traveled together each day, although the two of us are dramatically different from each other. In fact, we haven’t had much in common for a long time.  Oh, don’t feel bad about that. It’s a good thing.

I just want to let you know how much I appreciate your getting through those difficult times of trying to grow up fast. There was the bully in high school, a shortage of hugs, plenty of tears plus fears on first-time dates, puzzling changes in our body, and parents missing when most needed.

But there were also the shared cherry-cokes with friends every Friday on the way home from classes and the close years-long bond among six friends who helped raise each other. You won’t be surprised to learn that bond still holds true.

The adults who seemed unpredictably uncaring have transitioned away a long time ago. The now-me realizes they were in their own pain but did not recognize it. Please know your experiences with them prevented me from making their same mistakes. I am grateful to you for that.

We both might want to thank over-worked guardian angels keeping us safe in what I now recognize as very close calls that could have easily had different outcomes. What you lived through in those times have made me a stronger adult – and, yes, possibly stubborn at times.

I forgive all your silly – and sometimes thoughtless – mistakes. They were the most valuable lessons of all. May I now be a positive reflection on the you of long ago.

Don’t take offense, but I have no desire to repeat any of that again with you, but thank you for going through it to help make the now-me. Not a perfect me, but more understanding than you thought possible.

We are not the same, but we are one. Without you, this me wouldn’t be. There is more work to be done but it’s still based on you.

      In peace,   

Your future

Comments

We look forward to your thoughts, as well as your Letters To Self, if you would like to share them. A comments section is below.