A Letter to Self

Dear Max,

Life is tough. Yet life is worthwhile, amazing, and wonderful. There are innumerable challenges. There are many fears. There are times you may feel crazy, depressed, abnormal, or lonely. But know that you are alive. Know that even when the small things twist the path, there is only a small bend to climb till you are clear. Know that you can believe in God, friends, family, and most unlikely, yourself.

You don't need to figure it all out now. You don't have to regret every decision you make. You don't have to freak out over your failures and mishaps. But you do anyways. It is overwhelming to think about life and the future, but just live. Live for the moment, live for fixing the past, live for the future. But most of all just live. Live because that's what you have. Don't tie yourself down with irrational worries and fears. Don't make yourself miserable by thinking so much. Have faith and the achievements will come without even aiming to do so. Take care of yourself and you will discover so much about life. Sleep and you will open your mind to so many wonders. And accept that you won't succeed in all these goals perfectly and instead of continuing to dream of fixing yourself, accept yourself and hope.

Take chances. Fall down. Stand back up. Peer back behind for the briefest second, breathe, and reach for the sky. Don't drag your feet or slouch. Don't criticize. Don't whine. Release, yes, through breath. Look up to the sky, the clouds, the skyscrapers or the trees. Absorb the beauty, exhale the stress. Feel free to feel. Feel free to let go. Feel free to loosen up. But don't pressure yourself to do any of these things. Stay motivated by reminding yourself of this world. Keep reading the newspaper, and opening your mind. But don't forget to do something. Run, play, workout. Laugh. Even when you face the miseries that are sure to come, be brave, even when weak, and go forth. Don't just dream, be your dreams.

Never forget who you are. The funny thing is that you don't know who you are. You have a GPA, an SAT score, and titles. But you are not a number or name. You are you. You will change. You will grow. But every once in a while, take a step back. Put everything in perspective. Ask yourself if you are living the way you want to live. And if it seems to difficult to change, listen to music, meditate, run around, talk to a friend, sleep, try something new. But don't just sit there and expect the world to change. Only you can turn your dreams into reality.

Live - that's really all you can do.

Love,
The person you want to be.

"Dear Jack" - Jack's Mannequin