Dear 7-year-old Hend,
In case you don’t realize, Yes. This is in fact future, 20-year-old you. No time travel has not been invented, but blogging has! So have many other things. But I can’t reveal too much for fear that I might destroy the timeline. You’ll understand when you grow up.
I just wanted to tell you a couple of things. A few stepping stones to guide you on your path in life. Firstly, I know you’re excited to grow up and can’t wait to be 13 and be a “teenager” and all that apparently cool stuff. Well, newsflash, it’s not cool. Being older means having more responsibilities, like having harder subjects in school. But your problem isn’t academic, I know that much. So my advice to you is while growing up, do carry your responsibilities, but don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. It’s not your job. Try actually enjoying life instead, that’s a much better use of your time.
Second point, please please please try new things! Stop being so on the safe side. Because later on you will regret it. Much like I am now. You see, there’s a little something called panic. And sometimes it will attack you. Especially when you take a risk, or something you see as a risk, and it goes wrong. So my advice to you is to explore, experience, and experiment more so you may be able to avoid the mean panic. Plus you should stop being so stubborn about not liking something. As you get older, your taste in things will change a lot. Most probably your taste in everything. But you can look forward to having settled on a certain taste that will be really awesome.
Here’s on of the most important rules of life I have to tell you about: NOTHING AND NOBODY IS WHAT THEY SEEM. You may think someone is your friend, but they probably aren’t. You may think a situation is fine, when it’s actually really bad. Trust your gut and not what people tell you. Because later on when you get older, you will find that people never really say what they mean. They can either say something, that is a simple sentence, in a really nice way, or a really mean way. Don’t try to change that, but you should learn how to do that sometimes. Not everyone likes it when you tell the truth. They may tell you they want nothing else but the truth, but they still don’t mean that. It’s really confusing, I know. I’m still struggling with this currently. But you have to keep trying and don’t give up until you know exactly how to deal with people. It will be a skill that will help you along the way.
Oh and stop thinking that you’re not good enough. Don’t let ANYONE make you feel bad. You are good. And just because you do something bad doesn’t mean all of what you are is bad. It just means you need to learn what good you can do instead of doing that bad thing. Or better yet, you can learn how to stop doing bad. Another thing you should know is that people will make you hate the way you look. Maybe not now, but when you’re older. Here’s something to make you feel better: it doesn’t last. The way you look won’t always be the same. You can change it, but only if you want to. But my advice is that you take up a sport and stick to it. Because you will get annoyed with yourself for your lack of fitness and your “shape”. And that little voice in the back of your head? The one that keeps telling you how bad you are? Gag it. Shove an imaginary sock in its mouth, or imagine it without a mouth. You’re creative so I’m sure you’ll think of something.
Also I want to tell you that I’m proud you are becoming more and more independent. It’s one of your best qualities and still is. Use that independence right. Make something of yourself. Make sure that no matter what happens you will always be able to stand up on your own two feet even if no one else is around to help you. Believe me when I say, it is something you will need a lot in the future. Don’t be scared to ask for help, though. Sometimes things might be a little out of your reach and you might need some help. So go ahead and ask for it. There’s nothing wrong with that.
You love to write. Keep writing. Write everything you can think of. And if people tell you they don’t like what you write, it’s ok. Other people will like it. Trust me, your love of writing and reading is what eventually made you write this letter. So read more books. Write more poems. And stick to a diary, for God’s sake! You need an outlet for your thoughts, pour it into your writing. A proper diary too. Write the date and write everything that happened on that day. I want to read what your thoughts were over the years. Oh and you’ll want to start reading books about everything too. Maybe you won’t like some, but there’s always a chance you’ll like something. And when that happens, you gain something. It could be an idea, a lesson, an inspiration, anything at all. And if none of those come from reading a book, you still gained the experience of reading. Its magic. Just from reading you can live other lives. So think of that the next time you open a book.
Here’s my most important piece of advice. Get closer to God. Read the Qur’an. Commit to your praying. And do more good. Try to be kind whenever possible. Be hardworking, be dedicated, be smart, and be gentle. You must always learn how to be a better human being and should do so from the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Learn more about your religion and try applying it to your life. But don’t be strict or extreme. In time you’ll come to see what extremism in religion looks like and you’ll wish you hadn’t. So be religious, but enjoy life too.
Lastly, always be yourself. It’s a rule to live by. Always be genuinely, honestly, and sincerely you. This will definitely help you along the way. You’ll meet more friends who are like you. They’ll share some of your likes, some of your dislikes, and most importantly, a lot of your laughter. You’ll laugh so hard your stomach will hurt and you’ll look like a complete goofball with your silent laughter and clapping like a seal and shaking your shoulders, but you’ll love every minute of it. So just be your normal, goofy, laughter-loving self, and you’ll get through everything with a bit more ease.
Well, little me, I hope you’ll understand everything from this letter. And I hope you go through your journey with a smile. You can look forward to many exciting things yet to come, but you will also face a lot of hardships. Know that you’ll come out stronger, and with the advice I gave you, you’ll come out as strong as you’ll ever be. And you and I will be together until we drift away from life, because you always live in my heart and you’re constantly helping me to find the joy you find in everything at your age. Thanks for sticking with me, and I’ll see you again in 13 years’ time.
Love always,
20-year-old Hend
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Thanks for reading and I'll see you next Thursday! Hue Mann, over and out!! ;)