Dear Justin Barnes,

This letter is to travel to the past to where you are in your time. In the future, I wanted to thank you for a challenge you will eventually overcome. One that has put many halts on improving your heart and soul. You will realize that the world is not as scary as it should be. You were born with some trauma, as many other people do in this wild world. This world is full of hardships and failure. There are a lot of disappointments and embarrassing moments. However, this letter is not about that; instead, it is a challenge you will eventually overcome that will change your perspective on those mentioned earlier. A challenge that I have endured and overcome in the future is the challenge of risk-taking. You are probably scared and believe that this is illogical, as I know myself better than anyone. I know you will be objective and that this sounds dramatic. Taking risks is a part of life; if we do not push our limits and risk failure or rejection, we will never learn or better ourselves. I played it safe when I was your age. I could have become a doctor, experienced new perspectives and cultures, learned new ideas, and even learned to be a better husband than before. If there is anything that you should take from this message, please take risks. Even if they hurt you, as you will learn in the future, it will better you. You will become stronger, wiser, and more intelligent as a result. More opportunities will occur as a result of this. Do not mistake this message as a message of regret and unhappiness. You will become something great. Maybe even something greater will happen in the next five years. With all this said, what do you need to do? The answer is nothing because if you change, I change as well. Just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that one day, you will have the opportunity of your dreams, a lovely wife, house, children, and even the profession of your dreams. Just know when the time comes in 2015, begin to take those risks as it will change your life, and those 22 years of uncertainty and depression will melt away. You are destined to overcome this challenge, so fear not, and your time will come.

Sincerely, your future self.

Dear Justin Barnes,

Please understand the intent of this letter, as it is not to come off egotistic. However, my best internal desire is to thank you for who you are. Thank you for changing your life around and giving love a chance. Thank you for taking the risks you deemed too risky to take. Thank you for having that hunger and drive to improve yourself and prove that you can benefit society. Thank you for your hard work and resilience in working with patients daily. Thank you for becoming a nurse and working in the intensive care unit, which would be a passion you enjoy. Thank you for trying to fix all the problems that you can. Thank you for trying to listen and be empathetic when you are not perfect at it. Thank you for being brave to trust and have children with the love of your life. Thank you for admitting your faults in prayer. Thank you for your failures, as you may learn from them. Thank you for realizing your faults and desiring to be better. Thank you for knowing how to say “sorry.” Thank you for sacrificing your mental and physical energies to provide for your family and assisting in pursuing opportunities for your family. Thank you for attempting to take time for your family, even if it is hard on some days. Thank you for staying late at work and being by that patient in the most challenging times of their lives.
Thank you for giving your mind, soul, and body to figure out your patient and family’s problems. Thank you for helping your coworkers and listening to their ideas. Thank you for taking the risks of buying a home in which the economy has been unable to optimize for a family. Thank you for caring for yourself and seeking care at the doctor when possible. Thank you for continuing to pursue your education despite the hardships it brings. Thank you for working full-time while being at school. Thank you for trying your best to help as much as possible around the house. Thank you for trying to keep your connections as strong as you can.
Thank you for having your peers and friends in this world. Thank you for attempting to be fair regarding arguments. Thank you for always being there for your loved ones during challenging times. Thank you for enduring all your trauma in your past and dedicating your life not to pass it on to your children. Thank you for loving your father and mother even if they were imperfect. Thank you for realizing that you are not perfect, nor will you be the best, but you desire to be a better version of yourself every day. Thank you for helping others in need, even if you do not know them outside of work or family. Thank you for voting, even if you believe the statistics won’t add much. Thank you for being spiritual and hopeful for a better future. Thank you for praying as much as you can in this world.
Most of all, thank you for not giving up or giving in to the dark urges of your past, which would have most likely led to a premature end to your potential and the changes you can bring.
Thank you for being you, Sincerely, yourself.