I know you’re listening
I know you are there
I know that you’re hiding,
but I can see you in the reflection on my screen as I write this down,
as the tears fall down your cheeks.
This year was painful wasn’t it,
this year broke you didn’t it,
this year things got out of your hands, didn’t they?
You broke up with friends, with your sister, and with a mother who you wished have cared,
this year you healed,
not fully,
but you did what you could to an extent,
and now you ask yourself “what’s next, what is it that’s coming your way”,
2022 was a year of tribulations that proved that you can,
that you are capable of overcoming obstacles, and that you can keep pushing even when your legs really feel like they can’t,
2023, you got a lot to do in this year
you have to work on forgiveness
you have to work on loving yourself again,
2023, has to be the year that you accomplish at least one of your dreams,
the one you’ve always been afraid to commit to but the one that describes you best,
2023, has to be the year that your smile seems sincere,
and that your body feels in shape.
2023, will be the year that you accept yourself and you feel beautiful in your own skin.
2023 will be a huge year for you, don’t forget that sometimes you’ll feel sad and will want to cry
don’t forget that sometimes you will fall
and you’ll want to stay down,
don’t you forget that you are charming,
and no matter what,
you are the price,
And through it all you will be standing tall.
2023 will be a year full of blessings, and opportunities to be who you want to be,
2023 will be a year that will mark your heart
With abundance of love and success.
2023 girl,
There’s so much coming your way,
I can’t wait for this new year, I know you feel it too, I know you’re on the same page.

Upon reflection on a year gone by,
I notice that life is short and needs to fly.

As time dissipates in the fog of winter
Storms that flog your optimism into a pauper,

I lie back and wonder …
How do I make the following year better?

My goals are set for my self-improvement,
Where I wish to feel no bereavement.

Goals are so arbitrary, that, at times
They pull you down into hades.

As I set my goals: reducing my intrusive
Conversation and being more conservative

In my opinions, but only with certain
Peoples, who lack perception.

Another goal is too write more,
Submit more, and succeed more.

I believe the latter more feasible,
As the first requires me to be more biddable

I hope to achieve a certain censorship
As not to reach hardship.

©️ Malak kalmoni chehab ©️

Dear Unsealers,

Hello Oswald from 2023, it’s me from 2043!

That’s right, I’m speaking to you for twenty years in the future. From my spacious pied a terre in Nice, France at sunset. And yes, that’s a bottle of rose wine that you brought home from your trip in 2019 that’s being shared with your female companion.

I’ve managed to stay for five years and become a resident of France. In the meantime, I’ve been exploring the rest of the European continent.

I’ve come from the future to remind you that everything that you desire is possible. Not as far away as it feels. I know that you’re wondering how I got here.

It began with a realization late one winter’s night. You visualized what life would be twenty years from now. And you imagined coming back to Nice. The smile was beaming through the silence. But you had to fight off the sense of doubt and lack of self-worth.

Just saying the words “I’m Ready” proved to be difficult. But through the struggle, the phrase came out.

You started to get clear on what you wanted for your future. To be able to tell your story in a way that resonates with people, disabled and not.

With the vision written out, you had the plan to execute. A pair of books would be written, the first one a memoir. Chronicling the life of resiliency that was lived with Cerebral Palsy. And the second, a chronicle of your travels. With both books, you would have something to speak about in interviews for podcasts, IG Lives, and written articles.

After a lifetime of letting it define you, the quest for your independence began.

You found a job as an editorial assistant for a publishing company. Learning as you go to pick up the skills for putting the book together while gaining a stream of income.

The skills of adulthood would be learned, thanks to working with the Center for the Independence of the Disabled. And they would also help in finding your first apartment in Queens.

Though, you would still join your family for holiday dinners. And you had them over for dinner on your first New Year’s Eve at the place. In time, a bigger apartment would be found.

You would spend countless hours writing your story and get help from a friend’s publishing house for the first book deal. The Poetic Seasons poetry books and the memoirs are under The Key Publishing House umbrella.

It would be a whirlwind third trip to France that sealed the deal on staying. Crisscrossing the country in a month from the France-Spain border to Corsica. And as you visited Nice, the magic of the Promenade caught your eye again. You would begin the residency process by spending time at home and abroad.

With all the exterior changes, I forget to mention that you’re a happier person now. With a healthier perspective on life and more confidence in yourself. And you met someone in Caterina that brings out the best in you.

Why am I here writing this letter?

I wanted to remind you to dream bigger and better for your life. You’re more than capable of achieving what your heart desires. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out in the world.

And above all else, love every inch of yourself. You’re an inspiration!

Dear Cherie of the past,

This is a letter from your future self; let’s call me “Future Cherie.” I wanted to let you know that I admire your strength, perseverance, and the fact that you kept moving forward even when you had no idea where you were going. If it wasn’t for your determination, I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to you. As you are reading this, I know that you and I are in different places in our lives. Right now you aren’t sure if you’d be set free from the burdens that have shackled you for so long. But please, keep thinking about me. I am here to keep you going.

Please don’t look back and wonder why you didn’t take these leaps of faith sooner. Looking back will only hinder you from moving forward. The right time to start is now, as you read this. I know that people keep pressuring you to get married and to start a family because they think that your clock is ticking, but don’t listen to them. We all have our own paths and purposes in our lives. Yours might look unconventional to others but trust me, you know what you are doing. You always have. Don’t just do things for the sake of it. Good things take time.

I am a huge believer of divine timing. There is no need to regret. If you open your eyes and ears and learn to discern God’s voice from the voices of this world, you will realize that life doesn’t always have to be as complicated as we make it. I say this over and over: trust the process. I know that you are still learning. Please stop leaning on your own understanding, it is causing unnecessary stress.

I’m telling you right now that I am living the life you dreamed of. It’s not impossible. It just seems impossible to you right now because you are shackled by fear of the unknown. But there is beauty in the unknown. Soon you will take that leap, and you will never look back.

As you are reading this, your heart is healing from the person who gained your trust and betrayed you. I know you prayed that he would be the one for you. Everything seemed right, but believe me he is not the one. You just need to take off those rose-colored lenses that you were wearing for too long. The man that I love right now was worth the wait, and I can’t wait for you to meet him. He has been praying for someone like you, you just don’t know it yet.

This journey that you are on right now, is a journey of self-love. It’s a scary one, but this is the most crucial chapter of your life. I look back at it often and I am so grateful for everything. I am grateful for the pain, the heartache, the uncertainty. Everything happens for a reason, and it prepared me for all of the unexpected blessings to come. It’s time you stop hiding, and show everybody the person you were designed to be. You are not here for yourself, you are here for something far greater than you, and always remember that.

I hope you are smiling as you are reading this letter. I smile every day. I look back and wish that I had taken time to really be present and enjoy the simple moments in life instead of always thinking that I should be somewhere else. We often take precious moments for granted. I am so lucky to have an amazing journey to look back on. I’m so lucky to be able to write this letter and have you read it, because not many people get that chance.

Don’t look back and wish that you had taken time to be present and enjoy the simple moments of life. Don’t think that you should be somewhere else. Believe me when I say that you are exactly where you need to be right now. Don’t spend time trying to make sense of everything. Everything will fall into place. Trust the process. I’m so glad that I did.

Please read this letter every day. It’s a daily reminder. One day you will write a letter to your past self too!

Love Future Cherie.