A letter from June 1st, 2017

Hey you, Today you turned thirty-five, so there's that. Hopefully you've made your peace with aging and take it better than you did when you turned thirty. If not, it's time to suck it up and deal with it because there's nothing you can do to stop it. Usually your birthday reminds you of all the things you haven't accomplished or haven't experienced. Today I want you to celebrate what you have. Your life may not have turned out the way you thought it would all those years ago sitting in English class and doodling that boy with the cute smile's name surreptitiously in your notebook, but it's still pretty great. You love what you do and you're good at it. Sometimes you want to give up, sometimes you feel like you're not making a difference, but remember the profession you've chosen is often a thankless task. You don't teach for accolades, you teach for kids, and the ones who need you most are like you, the ones who often go unnoticed. If you can help even one of those kids feel a little less broken then it is worth it. Remember that you have lots of love in your life even if you're not in love. I know your relationship status makes you feel unlovable, but that's not true. Maybe you've found someone to share your life with, but if not, it's okay. Your family, your friends, your students love you. That can be enough. Above all, I hope you're happy. You deserve to be happy. Love, 2017 Me