A letter from September 16th, 2019

Dear Future Me, By the time you are reading this letter, you will be on your way to graduating college. When I look back at my life and go through the things I have endured I am so grateful that I made it. You have survived abuse, alcoholic parents, assault more than once, toxic relationships with friends, lovers as well as family members. Just one of these let alone all of them together would no doubt impact you. Well you did it girl. You took all the bad that the world served you and made your own goals and stuck to them. While it wasn't perfect you did some things you never thought you could do. You achieved your goal of living on campus, having a great roommate (sam), making life long friends, finding a career path and educational area that you love (geology), made reationships within your field and with professors too. While your grades have not always been what you wanted, within your career you have received high honors 4 times. Thinking back to what my abuser said, that I would end up never achieving anything and becoming a young mom etc. while being a mom is not a bad thing, I set my own goals and control my own life, not what others want to happen to me. You did it girl, you made it! I am so proud of you, everything you have gone through. This is just a start to some of the great things you will do for yourself and your future. Enjoy the day, you deserve it! Love always, Johannah