dear future me,

I’m sure you’re reading this and laughing. You’re probably thinking, “What the heck were you thinking?” and the truth is that I’m thinking the same thing. Right now it’s nearly nine o’clock (bedtime’s calling soon) and I’m jamming to a sad song called “Older” by Sasha Sloan. I’ve been waiting for inspiration to strike me all day for this blog post, and you came to mind.

The past few weeks have been really interesting. I’ve been searching through old memories for answers as to who I’m becoming, as if I’ll get the answers that way. Today alone I saw three people I haven’t seen in years, people who watched me grow up and looked at me with the same shock in their eyes. It’s something we all say, over and over again, hoping that the truth will sink in, though it probably never will: Time’s flying, and time’s flying fast.

You probably know that, considering you’re reading this at a different time and in a different place. You’ll probably read this letter and think, “I thought time was flying then? But look at it now!” And I can’t disagree with you, because I’ll never understand how some years feel like snails are running the show, and others like we’re going faster than the speed of light. But you’ve always known the truth: You’re not in control, and that’s okay.

I wonder who you’ll be like. I pray you are kind-hearted and humble. Maybe you’ll stumble now and then, but you’ll be strong and won’t wallow in the past. You will treat everyone with respect and dignity, and you’ll write so much that your wrists fall off your hands (okay, I’m going to actually hope that your wrists are still intact). You will never lose your sense of wonder at the world, and you’ll make sure to travel as much as you can. I hope you go to the places you’ve loved before, and that you stare at the scenery and give thanks for the moments you had there: Rossville, Tennessee; Parkersburg, West Virginia; Malibu, California; Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Columbus, Mississippi. 

But I hope more that you take care of the people you love. When I think of you, I see resilience. I think of where you’ve been, and then I think: Wow, I wonder where else you’ll go, and the people you will meet there.

The truth is that I don’t know you, but you know me. But I’ll meet you soon enough, because you’ll be here before we both know it. 🙂

-K.

Quality time with Dad // 1998, North Carolina

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Around the same time you started writing in 2007 (and who can resist a baby picture of Gen?)

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End of your freshman year of college (!!!) (Lancaster, CA // 2017)

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Never resist running up a random mountain to catch a glimpse of the sunset (Calabasas, CA // 2019)