Dear Future You

What is it like, out there in the future? Have we chosen a college? Have we found love? Have we made a name for ourselves? … do we have a cat? You probably won't remember when you wrote this, but I'm sure we're still reaching for a future of some sort. We've been doing it since, what, 4th, 5th grade? Changing dreams year by year: first a doctor, then a vet, and then a chemist… what do we want to be now? An actress, craving the limelight like in 7th grade? Or maybe a physicist, curious about the way the world works, like in 8th. Whatever it is, I hope we make it. Make a good future for us, okay? I have no clue what is going on as of now… I hope we make it and have a good life. That's what everyone wants, isn't it? Just to make it, and to have a good, happy life.

Make us a good person, by all means, possible.

Love, Past You"

I wrote one of hundreds of "Future Me" letters what feels like forever ago (which is actually three or four years ago), and I can answer so many of these questions I had… but no one just stops having questions.

Yes, I have chosen a college: I have applied to the Oregon Institute of Technology and am waiting for a response (fingers crossed!).

Yes, I have fallen in love: though we are still young and still trying to find our way in life, he makes me feel happy, loved, and stable.

Yes, I had a cat: his name was Mickey the Mouser and he was the cutest black cat ever, and now has a better home with people who aren’t allergic to him. Thank your aunt when you get him.

Have we made a name for ourselves? Well, I'm working on it

In fact, with this post, we have made one of the first steps forward after so many steps back. I'd say I'm proud.

Many of you will not care about me or my past. Maybe you stumbled on this post through random searches, or maybe you found it on a social media post and had the fleeting idea to check it out.

No matter how you got here, you're here now. You are witnessing the beginning of a new chapter of someone who never thought they could make it this far. My name is Kambi, and this is me carving my path with the power of words and determination.

I'm here to challenge all of you who read this. I don't care if you've written a "Future Me" letter recently, or if you haven't written one at all; now is your time to do it. Write out a brand new letter to yourself.

You don't have to share it with anyone if you don't want to, so write whatever you want! Ask questions to yourself! Tell yourself what happened that day! Talk about your favorite things! Most of all, write down your current goals and aspirations! Let this letter motivate you to do something. Now save it so that you can look back at it a few years in the future.

Ask yourself if you've grown any. Did things go the way you wanted them to? How have things changed, if at all? Are you willing to make a bigger change now?

If you want to, I would love to read your letters in the comments, so feel free to share them if you're comfortable!