Ever-Changing Reflection

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding... It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.
~ Kahlil Gibran

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

#Trust30: Dear 24... Dear 34...

Five Years by Corbett Barr

There will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in their hour. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?


I'll begin by stating that I completely agree with the Emerson quote above; I believe that, if we are true to ourselves, our actions are true to ourselves in that moment in time... whether we later like or agree with them or not. I think, if you remember Emerson's sentiment, you will have no regrets. I don't minus one major action on my part a long time ago.

That said, let's get this party started!

Dear 24-year-old Nifer,
At this point, you are staring down the quarter century mark. It's a little scary, huh? Those milestones always are, but you take them on and go through them the best you can. Boy, you celebrate 25 in style! You live it up, you party hard, you surround yourself with love and laughter, and you do it right. You have the best birthday ever to look forward to. Don't change a thing. You're gonna get hurt. Bad. I'll warn you, even though you know that already. You're going to do some uncharacteristic things, but you learn and grow from them. You are truly discovering who you are, and, babe, it's beautiful!
P.S. Take more advantage of your opportunities at work. Don't get lazy. Keep learning because you're gonna be there for a long time.

Dear 34-year-old Nifer,
I will be honest: I have really high hopes for you! I hope, above all, you are unbelievably happy and that you are content in every moment of your life. I'd like to say I hope you are married and have a little abundance of joy running around, but I only hope that if that is what is making you happy right now. I hope the past five years have been good to you. I hope you challenged yourself, living boldly, loving fully, laughing daily... and stilly partying hard! I know you got it in you, girl! I hope you have found daily pursuits that thrill you to no end but still have that burning desire in your soul because it is what drives you and keeps you alive.
P.S. You better have been to Europe and Hawaii by now! I'll be majorly bummed if you haven't!

Your turn... This is such a fun exercise, both remembering who you were and where you were five years ago, and reflecting upon who you might be and where you might be five years from now. Let me know what you'd say in the comments, or direct me to your blog post!

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

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