Letter to my 16 Year Old Self
I am switching this up a bit from 10 things you would tell your 16 year old self if you could to just writing a letter to my 16 year old self. Reason being, I don’t know if I can genuinely come up with 10 things. Heck, there might be more or there might be less, I won’t know until I start. I think that a letter format would be much easier and more heartfelt anyhow, so feel free to improvise too if you are following along with your very own blog challenge. This is about having fun, we’re not being graded for following directions =)
Dear 16 year old me,
You are probably so thrilled right now, you’re finally starting to blossom. Most of your school years, you have felt like an outcast, or if I may be so blunt, an ugly duckling. You finally learned how to correctly apply eyeliner, and your bra actually fits now too! You still aren’t happy with your body, because thanks to the music videos, magazines, and TV you’ve been exposed to, you believe that there’s only one version of the “perfect girl/woman” and you aren’t it. You see, your generation is the start of a big change. Yeah, Madonna liberated lots of women some 18ish years ago, but her ideas are nothing compared to what’s coming. I hope you’re ready. Actually, I know you’re not. But there’s good news, you won’t ever fit that mold of the “perfect girl/woman” that the media portrays – and that’s a GOOD thing!!!! You’ll learn (in about 10 years, give or take) that the woman the media and society expect you to be, is far from God’s idea for you. She’s NOTHING like the Proverbs 31 woman. She doesn’t have class, or values, she cares more for her appearance than her character. She seeks to attract men from her physical attributes and assets rather than her heart and reverence for the Lord. She thinks that showcasing her flat stomach and long legs are the secret to getting the hottest guy in town. She believes her breasts are for men to oogle at, rather then to feed future children. And no I am not saying that breasts cannot be enjoyed visually (BY YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND, not random men), but that is not their main purpose. And last of all, she is a fictitious and unattainable character. Chasing after her image will only lead to heartache, heartbreak, and wasting countless hours of your life trying to achieve something that won’t ever serve you in the “real world”. Sure, you might get some stares, or some whistles, but that’s nothing compared to what you’ll feel when you meet the love of your life and marry him on a beautiful February day in 2011. Most of all though, don’t change anything about yourself after reading this letter, because the storm you’re going to pass though is necessary to mold you into the person you’re going to be. You are going to think your heart is breaking sometimes, but it’s really not. You are going to lose some friends, but they weren’t really friends to begin with. You’re going to make some mistakes, but you will learn from them and be a better person from it. You’re going to have to deal with some really tough stuff in the next few years, but things are working together for the best. You’re going to be strong and happy, and you’re going to make a difference in the world! Hang in there kid =)