A Letter To My 16-Year-Old Self

Dear 16-Year-Old Me,

I'm writing to tell you that, first and foremost (because I know it's the biggest question in your mind right now), all of that disappointment at Christmas-time is going to be replaced with pure joy and happiness when you are 23.5 years of age. You got it, you'll get the best little puppy you ever could have asked for. I'm not going to tell you the gender, name or breed as to not ruin the surprise, but relax, you'll get one. So just sit tight for the next 7.5 years - the wait will be worth it, I promise.

And those dreaded timed miles that you are required to run in gym class... just learn to love them. I know there is nothing more that you hate than aimless endurance running, but when you tear your ACL in college at age 19 (sorry, it's going to happen) and you can't run for three straight months post-surgery, you're going to realize that you took your ability to run for granted and you will develop a genuine love for it. I know, you're rolling your eyes and laughing at me right now at the thought of you actually ENJOYING running and doing it voluntarily, but trust me on this one, that gym class one mile is going to be just a warm-up for you by age 23.

When you get your driving permit, don't wait until March of your junior year to go for your license out of your fear of driving in the winter. You live in Syracuse where snow is guaranteed EVERY year... so get over it. You're going to LOVE driving by yourself due to all of the concerts and karaoke sessions that you are going to have. Just remember to always keep the music at a low volume (and when I say low, I really mean OFF) when driving with Mom so she doesn't get mad when the car starts vibrating due to the loud bass (because, of course, that will be on its highest setting).

And that trip to England that you're going to take with your B'ville lacrosse team next year... cherish every minute of it and realize that you won't be traveling to Europe for a long long time after that. Take lots of pictures and SAVE them because you're going to want them around age 24 when you develop an interest and appreciation for photography and travel. And relax about the plane ride... you'll make it there and back in one piece.

I know that you have your sights set on Le Moyne College... 'PHINomenal choice if I do say so myself. I think you'll be in total agreement when you walk across that stage in 2013. Actually, I KNOW you will be. In fact, you'll agree with me so much that your dream will be to work at Le Moyne in the Athletic Department. And I don't want to ruin the surprise here either, but follow your heart and trust the decisions you will be forced to make over the course of the next 8 years.. and you will be one extremely happy girl.

Lastly, and most importantly, remember this... never take for granted your loved ones. This will hit home in the spring of next year at age 17. Your eyes will be opened a little wider, your heart will become more understanding and accepting and your faith will eventually become stronger.

So there you have it. A little glimpse into the future to provide you with a glimmer of hope that everything is going to work out just fine. You will maintain some friendships that you have now and you will create new ones that will open doors, introduce new interests and make you a better person in general. You will get those braces off at the end of age 16 and will finally be able to eat candy, popcorn and gum without the fear of breaking the metal in your mouth. You will fully convert to drinking coffee black. You will prefer a bedtime of 9:00pm every night around the age of 20 (grandma status, I know). You will climb mountains, sit on waterfalls and fall in love with Lake Placid. You will graduate on one career-path and then pull a complete 180 and go a different direction. But don't worry one bit, every experience you are going to endure will teach you lessons that are crucial to getting you to where I, your 25-year-old self, is today. So enjoy the ride and relax... you'll get that puppy.