Dear younger me,
I never thought I’d be writing this letter to you but I recognize the need for it. See, there’s some things I need to say and thank you for. Growing up, life wasn’t hard for us but it was necessary. Yea, it was necessary that we saw the struggle because it made us appreciate what we had and what we’d eventually get. So, thank you for taking the time to learn to cook and keep a house because we can now you can take care of our family. Thank you for being attentive to the strength of our mom because she taught us how to be strong and now we can provide with a little or a lot. I even thank you for taking time for granted because it taught us how to appreciate the days of now. Thank you for making careless mistakes because it made us into the person we are now. Thank you for taking people and things for granted because we now value who and what we have. Thank you for not appreciating your credit history then because it taught us how to work hard for what we get now. Thank you for our past because it built our present. So, to my younger self, I appreciate you and I am thankful for the journey. Had it not been for the things we experienced, we wouldn’t be who we are today. Had life not knocked us down, we wouldn’t have been strong enough to get back up. Had society not deemed us unworthy, we never would have tapped into our worthiness of greater. Had we not endured watching momma struggle to survive, we wouldn’t know how to now push through. Had grandma not made us go to church, we wouldn’t be grateful for our worship now. To you, my younger self, I thank you because had anyone told me the things we’re doing now, I wouldn’t have believed them. But look at us. God did what He said He would do. He cleaned us up, made us brand new and gave us a new way of living. He kept His promise to us. And now, I can confidently say, I appreciate it all and you’d be very proud of us.
I don’t know why God had me to share this but whoever you are that’s still angry over your upbringing or mad about your past; know this, you aren’t there anymore. Your younger self is gone and you’re where you are now. So write the letter, tell the story, share your testimony but understand this — had it not been for the things you’ve been through, you wouldn’t be half the person you are now.
“That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
Lakisha, the Author 