Saturday, February 28, 2009

To my eight-year-old self



When I was eight years old, I had just returned to the United States (with only memories of foreign countries), become a big sister, and played with neighborhood kids who, for the first time ever, were my age and spoke the same language as I did. I was introduced to Pizza Hut, Madonna, and malls. Life was good when I was eight. It's the years that followed that gave me such a confused outlook on life.

So, to my eight-year-old self:

1. You have a talent. Find it. Your thirty-two-year-old self knows what it is but is still too afraid to acknowledge it.

2. Don't start smoking.

3. Listen to your mother and get braces or you'll be paying for it dearly.

4. Let your friend's father pay for piano lessons.

5. Be smart with your money. You're going to need it one day.

6. Get on that plane to Milwaukee.

7. Worrying about everything will get you nowhere, except to the doctor's office. And then they'll bill you. And this will make you worry again. STOP IT.

8. Make the effort to see your family and friends, whether they are near or far.

9. Stand up for yourself more often.

10. Don't burn bridges. You'll have to cross a few to get back to where you started.

11. Learning to play the guitar is not as difficult as you think. Stick with it.

12. Get out of the house.

13. Some people deserve second chances.

14. Love yourself as much as your daughter loves you, if that's even possible.

15. The beach will be your happy place. Go often.

What would you tell your eight-year-old self?

4 comments:

Chris said...

That's a tough one. Off the top of my head:

1) Speak to strangers, even if you are timid.
2) Start surfing now, don't wait until you're 14. It's the second best feeling in the world.
3) Do your homework.
4) Savor every day you spend in the sun, barefoot in the grass.
5) Start practicing martial arts now.
6) Day dream like you do and please don't stop writing in your twenties. Follow the dream.
7) Don't go surfing on 5-13-1990. Trust me on this one.

The Prodigal Tourist said...

Very interesting premise. Guess my top one (and I've tried saying this to my daughter) would be: don't get involved in theatre.

Windy Days said...

This is fabulous! I'm going to blog mine and give you credit! Thanks - a new peep - Windy

Geekzilla said...

I would tell my eight-year-old self to just BE. No need to scare myself with the worries and regrets of a grown-up. There will be enough time for all that later.