Dear Teenaged Self,
I’m writing this letter to a beautiful teenaged girl who needs to know her worth is far greater than she could ever imagine. Molly, I know that being a teenager sucks, and I know very well the pain you have battled from within your soul because you haven’t yet accepted that you are different; you feel as though cerebral palsy has makes you a “weirdo”, or at least that’s what those who have bullied you for many years have made you believe. I’m so happy to be able to let you know that your life WILL get sweeter eventually. I want to emphasize two things about you that desperately need to be corrected: first of all, those who think they know you really don’t have the slightest clue and their opinion doesn’t matter. Secondly, you have a tendency to want to please and impress others; you need to stop that because there will be people who will always reject you, but you have friends who will always love and care for you. Learn to live to make yourself happy. The love of school and learning that you have will only continue to grow; you will go on to finish college with honor while making several loving friends along the way. The four years that you spend in college will be one heck of a rollercoaster ride; you will make mistakes, but you will also learn a lot. Determination is a quality that will help you soar in the future; it will help you to overcome the identity crisis and the depression that you have battled with for so long, and for that I’m so proud of you. Molly, you are such a fighter and you don’t even know it; I realize that it’s hard to see past the “retarded” label you’ve been given. Molly you are smart, talented, and beautiful; don’t let the hurtful words of others get to you. A change in the world is needed, and I have faith that you could be the voice of so many who are struggling simply by expressing yourself through your writing. You have such a sparkling personality and even though it may take you awhile to find your place in the world, when you do you will! Chase your dreams and embrace the people who love you and forget those who don’t. Please don’t be anything more or less that what you are. You WILL make it! I promise! Keep going because you are in the position to possibly change someone’s life. I hope one day you will be able to see that your disability is not a disability at all; instead it is a chance to take a stand and advocate for acceptance of those who have been labeled “different.” I can’t wait to see everything unfold.
Love,
My Adult Self
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