letter to my 80 year old self

Last post I blabbed about the history of this blog; now I’m gonna blab about future stuffs.  I’ve seen this idea of writing a letter to your 80 year old self a few times, so for no particular reason, here goes!

Dear Me at 80,

How much has the world changed in 64 years? How much have you changed with it?  I can’t imagine that the world will even remotely resemble what it is now.  Then again, I’m sure people had similar thoughts 64 years ago and imagined us teleporting ourselves around in silver spacesuits.  Hmm.  However, if the world is a very different place, you go with it girl!  Don’t be holding back – make the most of it. I’d love to think that you spend part of your life in a cobbled together career that might not even exist yet.  Don’t I sound all deep and meaningful, talking about how the whole world’s gonna change?  If your 16 year old self can think big thoughts about everything, then at 80 you have no excuse.  I fully expect you to carry on pondering the origins of the universe when you feel like it and all that stuff.  Remember what those RS lessons taught you.

Who says the world’s gonna change that much anyway?  I’ve a sneaky feeling that you and I might have a fair few interests in common.  I act like a pensioner in my rocking chair half the time already.  Change (or lack of) isn’t a big deal anyway; I’d just like to know that at some point over the next decade or six, you do something yourself that might make even a pinch of a difference.  Sounds ridiculously cheesy I know, but make sure you do something ‘big’ and charitable or help people/someone in any way you can.  Maybe you’ll have been a sciencey person and worked on a major research project, maybe you’ll be sick of physics after A-levels and do something creative with your life, who knows.  Just try and do something ‘big’ at least once!  If you’re anything like the current me (which I hope you are, if just a little), then you’ll have your finger in many pies and won’t make your mind up anyway.  It’s the best way to be.

That said, please, please please keep making things and learning new skills and being creative in whatever way possible! Try to keep up the health and fitness kick at least to some degree and don’t let yourself go completely off the rails.  And don’t you ever be seen dead wearing mumsy clothes!

Don’t ever lose your sense of humour!  I want you to have done many stupid and embarrassing things just for the fun of it (within reason of course, don’t be a complete idiot), or at least be able to laugh off the embarrassing things you didn’t realise you were doing.  I know already that they make the best stories.  If you remain a fairly confident person you should be fine.  At 80 I’m sure there will be many horrible times and sad things to look back on – ever the realist, me – but I hope there will be funny times to remember too.

Points to improve on before you’re 80:

• Don’t always be one of the louder ones.  That’s gotten me in enough bother already.  I actually can’t imagine what it’s like to be a ‘quiet’ person, but maybe it’s worth a shot at some point.
• Get a grip and stop faffing!  I dread to think how many hours of your life could be wasted.  Though I wouldn’t be in the slightest bit surprised if you’re still an extreme faffer at 80.
• Say more nice things to people, dish out more compliments, share more love, that kinda thing.  Put a smile on more faces if possible.

Wouldn’t it actually be sooo good to meet yourself at a different age?  What would 80 year old me think of the current teenage me?  Since that’s far from likely I’d like to end by saying that I hope you’ve met some amazing people by age 80, and that you’ve found some good ones to surround yourself with.  Life is essentially all about the people in it.  Keep taking chances on people to make the memories whilst it lasts; keep talking to strangers on the bus; keep in touch with people you know that may go different ways in life.  And do your best to remember them all!

Lots of love,

Lily

**Bit of a different writing style today!  I like mixing it up.  What would you say to your 80 year old self?  Or what would you look back on and say to you at 16?**

lily kate x
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