Sweet Sixteen

Dear Naive,

There is so much that you should know before you enter adult hood so I will try and give you sound advice to help you become an enriched secure adult.

The most important advice I can give you is CONFIDENCE! Grasp it, live it, inhale it, use it as much and as often as you can. Hold your head high, your shoulders back and believe in the deepest of your heart that you are an amazing person. Tell yourself this daily because you are responsible for making yourself find the beauty within.

Your friends. They will come and go and at the age of sixteen you will start to realize that true friends will start showing their colors. There will be friends that will stand beside you when you need them to and there will be friends who will have better things to do with their time. Don't be too quick to discount the ones who have better things to do without first understanding what they are doing. Remember, they too are finding their own path in this slippery mountain of life.

Listen to what others say. Really listen. Don't just hear something you want to comment on and patiently wait for that person to stop speaking. Open your ears and more importantly, your mind. Not every conversation needs a comment.

That job you are working at, the one where your boss is a complete bitch? There are two ways to handle this. First way, call her out on treating your poorly. This job will not be where you work for the rest of your life, your most important job is coming to you, just a mere four years ahead.
Secondly, find another job where you are respected. Don't forget that you deserve to be treated properly.

Don't be too quick to fall in love. Your soul mate is coming for you, be patient it will happen. That guy that you just recently met from work, keep it light and fun. As soon as trouble starts brewing, and it will,  drop him like a bad habit. It's not worth the effort to keep him in your life.

Your passion for music will grow, start playing your violin again, you gave it up without a fight.  You are a fighter, you have French blood coursing through your veins, your heritage has been fighting for what they have wanted for years, why aren't you? You were born strong and stubborn, start showing it!

For a few months you have listened to people tell you that Dad's death will get easier. I am not the bearer of bad news but it doesn't really get better. You will feel more numb, you will think you understand death better, but there are days when you are going to find yourself flat on your ass wondering how you ended up right back at the beginning of the pain. It's hills and valleys, please remind yourself that someone out there has a bigger plan. Remember the good times and be thankful for all the time we were able to spend with him.

Drama, the worst dose of medicine you will ever swallow. You weren't meant to be tied down at this age, by anybody. Grab every ounce of living you can. Go dancing with friends, go speeding down the highway listening to music that's blaring decibels too loud. Skip when you walk if you feel the need. Sing as loud as your lungs will allow you. Drink up any information that your teachers are willing to teach you. Study more. Do your homework. Listen to wise elderly people. Don't ever settle for second best! Laugh every single day.

Most importantly, be content. That life that you have been day dreaming about since you were old enough to know what you wanted...it's yours. It's all within your grasp. Don't wish away these moments though, you'll want to relive them as age dulls the edges.

Love,

Me
xxoo

*** For this week’s Flicker of Inspiration prompt for The Lightning and the Lightning-Bug, we were asked to write a letter to ourselves at sixteen.***