I’m sorry I never showed you the love I gave for free to others.
I never made time for you, even when I knew you were hurting.
I’m sorry I didn’t respect you enough stand up for you.
I didn’t tell you, YOU were beautiful.
I’m sorry I let you believe that you weren’t enough.
I’m sorry I broke your heart everyday leaving scars so deep they’ll be with you forever…
I’m sorry I never fully trusted you..
I told you ,you weren’t smart ,You were ugly, fat and no one wanted you.
..and believe it.
I’m sorry I convinced you the world was against you and you were alone.
I never protected you ,when I guarded others SO fiercely. ..
I lost you in seeking love and approval in someone else.
I was the one that left you behind….
I’m sorry

Young Liz,

It’s just after midnight on our 36th birthday. I am in my now quiet living room, cleaning up the remnants of the daily chaos. Children’s toys are scattered throughout the room, art supplies are covering the table, and crumbs litter the floor. As I clean, I think of my life, and how it’s sped by. I will not lie; mid-life has snuck up on me faster than you or I ever expected it to and 40 is approaching fast. I feel like I went from a twenty-five-year-old new mom to a thirty-six-year-old mom of four in the blink of an eye. Surprise! Even though children are not in your plan right now, you end up being a mother of four children. I must tell you, it’s been the best part of your life, and you love being a mom. Anyway, the last decade has been amazing, but it feels like I lived it in fast forward.

I don’t know where the time has gone. My oldest and only son is 11 years old; growing up and acting more like a teen than a child. My second child and oldest of my 3 daughters is 8 years old and not far behind her brother. My third child, who was the baby, is already 3 years old and can argue in full sentences. My youngest has outgrown her newborn clothes and turns two months old soon. I can see myself aging when I look in the mirror, noticing gray hairs and wrinkles more often than I used to. I’m not sure if you found that first gray hair yet, but if it has not surfaced already, it will soon. I’m sorry to break that news to you.

The realization that I am 36 years old already and I have not had success in anything except maybe being a hot mess soccer mom. Yes, you are a soccer mom; a fun, happy, Suburban driving, hot mess, soccer mom. I love being a mom and would not trade it for anything, but I realize at this point in your life; you are planning on accomplishing more and having a career. You may feel disappointed that your life turns out differently from your plan, but trust it turns out the way it was supposed to. Reflecting on the past, present and future makes me think about my life, my regrets, and accomplishments. With all these thoughts and memories swirling around in my head, I am overwhelmed with emotions. Even though I feel some regret and disappointment about never having a career or being accomplished at anything society would value, I feel even more happiness and pride about being a mom.

Being a mom is difficult and undervalued so much we believe our purpose to be meaningless. Despite this feeling that my role holds little value, I know being a mom is very meaningful. I am raising four amazing kids that will be part of the future generation. How well I do my job will reflect on the people they become and how successful they will be. So far, I have been successful at raising happy, caring, smart kids. They are doing more than I ever had. My oldest child, a 5th grader, excels in soccer, academics, and maintaining friendships since preschool. My oldest daughter is caring, popular, excelling at both soccer and tumbling, and gifted in writing; she even won first place in a county-wide writing contest. My third child is a very determined, smart, and well speaking 3-year-old who already does tumbling and is starting soccer soon. I know my youngest, despite only being months old, will be just like her siblings. My kids are successful because I pour everything I have into them and their success.

 I encourage them to play sports and join clubs; take them to every practice, game, recital, and everything in between. From the sidelines, I always cheer them on. I celebrate all their wins, and comfort them after losses. I help them study and make sure they do their homework. To ensure they make friends, I take them to all the birthday parties and playdates. I do everything I can to ensure they have the best childhood I can give them. I spend most of my time with them, running them to the tumbling studio, the soccer fields, school, and playdates, and I love all of it. Raising them has given me more purpose and happiness than anything else ever has. I want them to be happy children and successful adults, so I have dedicated myself to raising them to be everything I never was. Because of all this, I should be proud of the mother I am, and you should be proud of the mother you will be.

Love,

Older Liz

Style Score
100%

Do you still want to be married to me, or was I more of a maid of honor? When the officiant said I do, I thought I was tying the knot with someone that wanted the same thing. Lately I’ve felt a disconnect between us. I want to lie and say I don’t know why, but I do. As I keep trying to pull you back in, I’m realizing you don’t want the same things anymore. You’ve seemed to outgrow me in ways I just can’t keep up. We need to divorce. It’s time to let go. You’re so beautiful and I’m grateful to have had the chance to experience the old you. You don’t need my validation anymore. I remember when the words to have and to hold were said. You can hold on your own. We got too comfortable. I’ll miss holding the old you in our bed. You’ve opened a new door with someone who can love you better. I remember they said your momma was too pretty to be your momma. So you attract the baddest of the baddest as if you’re casting for the main role. Dizzy spells spelt all over the floor because you no longer internalize every single thing anymore. Now you’re racing circles around everyone, causing vertigo. Don’t worry, I’ve gotten the hint it’s also my time to go.

100% Style Score

Hi Silver Fox,

I just want to say Happy 80th birthday! I hope you had a great, fun-filled birthday because eighty years of life deserves to be celebrated.

You do not know me yet, but allow me to introduce myself, I am you at the age of 70. I, too, have just celebrated a birthday, and I am feeling kind of special even after becoming a widow after over 42 years of marriage. Due to all the deaths, we have experienced together in our lives, I can honestly say, I did not think we would have made it to eighty. I realized on our birthday that if I want to actually meet you in 10 years, I needed to get to work and start changing a few things. Today I have promised to make us a priority. All of our lives, we have given our life away! Let’s take the remaining years for ourselves! This cannot be viewed as selfish, you agree? Even writing this letter to you, it triggers a sense of strange relief.

My goals and wishes for us is that we have good health, travel, and independence. I wish that we have the ability to do whatever we are big enough to do! I choose life and living for us.

Let’s get started on our grocery list of changes and the things we need to overcome and take a short trip down memory lane.

We have survived the death of all our family members mother, father, brother and two sisters. First there were six and now there is one. Our sisters had children in which we tried to fill the auntie role and provided a safety net for their pain and shortcomings. Although some situations our nieces and nephew created themselves through poor choices while some situations were thrusted on them due to the absence of their mothers and life experiences , all while married and trying to raise our daughter. I often wonder why God allowed us to be the mother of so many. It is my prayer that when I catch up to you, we will look back over our life and the answer will become clearer.

These are the changes I need to make to improve our quality of life: I pledge to you to become more active and exercise at least three times a week. I also will watch my diet and maintain a healthy weight. Another goal is to reduce or eliminate the medications I currently take. It will probably take most of the ten years to achieve these things, but we can do it.

I hope that your expectation of me is to do all the things that allow you to be the best version of yourself.

Praying that God will continue to keep us with good health, sound mind, and the financial ability to do whatever we want. Silver Fox, stay strong and sassy! Catch up to you later.

Style score -85%

Young Man, 

Start the kettle and sit to listen. Paper and pen, please. We don’t have much time. 

You are fourteen now. Congratulations—keep reading. I’ll give you what you need to fly.

At fourteen, it feels like you’re the only stinky thing on the planet. Don’t count on it. The sad fact is: the body is a wet, hairy, doubting vessel that also stinks. That’s true for everyone, including your family and every stranger you stare at. Be courteous with your smell, but never ashamed of it. 

At fourteen, you are surrounded by family, teachers, and mother’s friends. There will develop within you an unshakable urge to delight, impress, and please every one of these people. It’s an impossible effort; give up now. It will be hard to undo the damage done to you, child who puts on adultskin to entertain cocktail guests. It will take a lot of love to tame that performing monkey in you. 

For now, you’re fourteen. Let me see you. Do a spin. 

Brace yourself. Adults have given you all the advice that they’ve got to offer, and it’s about to become apparent. Be suspicious of unprovoked information. Be suspicious of people. I was loose with identity, I slung and shared it. Tighten up. Doubt and argue. Make your own opinions first and loud, otherwise you’ll soak up the traits of unhappy people. 

You are unsupervised by your family. This feels awesome. It feels like a mutual maturity and trust; it’s not. You are a child, meant to be watched. They are your parent, meant to be encouraging you. Something is missing here and it is not your fault.

When your family doesn’t encourage you, you’ll bury yourself into the internet. That’s fine. Try to stay off 8ball.net. Otherwise, explore. Research. You will learn about prejudice and greed and how they are wrong. You will also learn that they are prevalent and inescapable. 

You’ll spend much of your life ashamed, uncomfortable in your humanity. Other, cool-looking kids will say they feel the same as you. Don’t trust them. No one feels the same as you in this town. Their shame is a trap to catch you in. Their shame is the force that drives you to delight, impress, and please. Their shame is a bucket of holes, never satisfied. There are people out there who do not seek misery to beautify themselves. You’ve got to put your hand out. Interrupt and discover. 

Cut your hair. Go outside. Don’t smoke. Talk to somebody. Keep writing. Keep painting. Keep singing. You will make money for the first time and it will dazzle you. Do not spend your earnings on necessities your parents should be giving you— the money will disappear. Ask for help. Ask for food. Ask for what you want. If you don’t ask for what you want in the moment, it will be forgotten, and you’ll lose yourself in pieces. You will lose the thought of wanting. It will become peripheral and, over time, erode into nothing. It’s easy to live with unhappy people when you want nothing.

Makes it hard to live with happy people when you find them, though. 

By now, you have given up on the idea of living independently. Your mother told you she’d love you to stay with her forever. Beware. After one year, she will start to sour. The welcome runs out. This is not your fault. Unhappy people never say what they mean. She is not a happying person. Put no more of yourself into that bucket. 

At fourteen, you’re unmedicated. I remember the mindset. Frustration, mostly, needing a supplement to feel normal. Yeah, yeah. Everyone is “on” medication. It isn’t unnecessary, it isn’t unfair. You feel that way because you are depressed and unmedicated. Happify yourself. No one else will do it for you. Life is a constant metronome between discomfort and relief.

What else, what else?

A smoothie is not dinner. You do not need to sneak food. You do not need to place the cans exactly back where they were. Your family are unhappy in themselves, and are typically expected to hide that from you. You’ve got your own unhappinesses to figure out. 

Your heart will ache randomly; that is empathy. Keep it around.

I look at pictures of you often and remember living inside your head. You should have had people to watch you, help you to make sense of things. But they didn’t, so it’s got to be me.

Follow these rules and you will make it out. Somebody special will find you, she’ll smooth out any of the wrinkles and bruises you’ve gathered along the way. You’ll know when you see her. You’ll be loved as you were meant to be loved. You will be happified. 

Keep going, 

Old Man

I remember you like a bad dream. I know I can never completely get rid of you, no matter how much I’ve regretted you and wished you away. Of all the pieces to my puzzle, you are the ugliest one. But I have realized that no matter how much I hate the past, it doesn’t change. There is no amount of regret or shame that can will you out of existence. You will forever be a part of me. I am learning how to be grateful for you; how to forgive you. I know that if not for you, I would not be who I am today.

What you allow time and experience to teach you will lead you to a new life, a new version of you. A couple of years down the road from the hole you live in now, you will experience a loss and a life-change that will shake you to your core. Your life will reach a boiling point, and something will force your awakening. You will come to realize your strength, your capability, and your worth, but not without suffering. Suffering will be your greatest teacher.

It’s hard to look back on who I was; who you are. A young girl so desperate for direction and love that she would do anything she could to have it, even if it was just an illusion. A girl so desperate for the approval of others, that you have not bothered to look inward for the love you can offer yourself. A girl so stuck in her own victimhood that you are blind to all the power you hold. Yet, this version of me that you are will take me exactly where I need to go.

A harsh and beautiful realization you will come to is that no one cares and nothing matters. No one is coming to save you. No one is coming to teach you how to live and there will never be a guidebook to life handed to you. It’s all on you, and hey, if you mess up, no one will care that much about it in the long run. The most important thing is that you are true to yourself; that your life is wholeheartedly yours. With all the mistakes, failures, and lessons, this story is yours to tell.

When I tell my story now, I look back on you and hold space to love you just as you are. While I have spent time wishing you never existed, I know you are as crucial a part as any to my unfolding story. I will love you hard enough for the both of us. I look forward to the next version of myself, the one who will look back on the me I am today and carry me with her. She will carry both of us with her, and she will love and forgive the both of us. It is in this evolution that we will be able to reach our highest potential, and all the versions of us will rest in harmony with each other.

Style Score: 69%

Dear me,
I am now just about forty years old and I have grown in so many ways. I want you to know, none of it was ever your fault. Mommy being suicidal and addicted to drugs, the abuse we tolerated from her, it wasn’t ever your fault. By the way, she finally got clean but then turned to alcohol and the antidepressants made her more suicidal, but she made her amends and we were able to form some sort of mother-daughter relationship, unfortunately she passed away during covid. She apologized for not helping us when we were her boyfriend’s victim,didn’t make it right though, but at least she apologized. We are now seeing a counselor for all the childhood trauma; we’re learning how to cope and understand that none of the abuse was ever really our fault. Oh, we’re married and we have 2 sons. There were a couple of really rough relationships, but we learned to actually love and to let love in. We are no longer hiding behind a false smile; we wear an actual smile now. Abuse comes in all shapes and sizes and we have seen it all, but, us, the victim, have become the victorious. After what felt like a life of suffering, we grew, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. We learned to walk away from toxic relationships, even within the family; we learned to heal and let love in, and we learned to speak up and stick up against those who hurt us. So much has happened in our 40 years of existence, but we made it when we didn’t think we would. You would be so glad to know we chose to live, I know I am. Today we support those who were in our position-those who suffer abuse, neglect, the children who feel like life is just too much and they want an escape, I decided to live and I am so thankful for the people in our life who saved me. I no longer feel unsafe and afraid. We accomplished growing up; we got out of the dark and finally found the light. There was a time where I wanted to give it all up; that time kept occurring through the years; 12 years old, 15 years old, 16 years old, 20 years old, 28 years old, and then 32 years old, but no more. God blessed us with a person who held us so tight that all our broken pieces came together; there are still some pieces that need mending, but we’re learning how to heal. There are 2 adorable boys who call us mommy and it’s our job to never let them see the trauma we experienced. Today, I am alive and well. Today, I choose to live. I choose to leave the past in the past to look forward to a brighter future. We learned to smile and mean it,no more darkness.
Love,
Me
Style Score 86%

I am sitting on a balcony in a country that is not my own. The sun is relentless, the pavement below warps slightly in the heat, but I can smell rain in the distance. It will arrive without warning. In the city I come from, I could always sense a storm before it broke. But here, things work differently. The rain arrives, mid-thought, mid-step, and if you’re not prepared, you get drenched.
I find myself writing a letter to myself, to the past. I want to tell you: learn to expect the storm, even on the sunniest day. Everything can turn in an hour. Years may pass slowly, but then comes the moment that demands a decision — urgent, irreversible. And sometimes, you won’t have a choice. In those moments, all you can do is try not to get soaked. Don’t blame yourself — survival is the best you can do. Wait for the moment when you can act.
Life is like a video game. You earn points, skills, and tokens. The more you gather, the more equipped you are for the unexpected. You never know what you’ll need, so gather as much as you can. Don’t waste time. Time is your most valuable currency. Understand this: in games, someone else might buy all the rare artifacts. In real life, others may seem to jump ahead — privileges inherited, advantages bought — while you grind away. So you learn to be clever. You learn to be efficient.
Create an image of yourself as the smart one — let it work in your favor. You might never become a walking Wikipedia or the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Don’t aim to win the Olympics on day one. Don’t chase grandeur on day one. Be patient. Trying too hard, too soon, will only disappoint you. Instead, be the smartest person in the room. Let others come to you for clarity, for insight. Reputation, like moss, grows slowly — but it spreads.
In the medieval imagination, kings were not just men; they were names, stories, legacies. Kings earned nicknames that history remembered. Louis the Universal Spider. Charles the Great. Ethelred the Unready. Edward the Miserable. Their nicknames stuck, not because they chose them, but because the world did. But you, you have the chance to choose your own. Decide who you want to be known as, and then earn it. Start with your circle. Let the name move outward. And if you call yourself a lion, then live like one.
Yesterday, I bought a retro Casio watch. The same model I once purchased with my first paycheck, back when I was sixteen. Some things don’t lose value over time. The truly valuable things — things-the ones that last—are few and recognizable, once you’ve learned how to see them. They are your parents. The friends who knew you before you knew yourself. They will be there, even when you’re wrong, long after the newer ones have wandered off.
That said, constancy doesn’t mean resisting change. I listen to the same songs on cassette tapes and on Spotify. I am not going to sleep through the artificial intelligence boom. The next decade is being written now. Keep your eyes open and be part of the innovation.
Yes, you’ll need money. Earn it. But ask yourself, is this job feeding your future? Or are you trading hours for dollars with nothing left for your own story?
Also: rest. Enjoy yourself. That’s why you’re here, on this planet. No one rewards the person who frowned the longest.
Wine and beer? They can be allies. They can spark ideas, unlock conversations, bring strangers into your orbit. But be warned — they can just burn everything down in one night. Use them, but they are unreliable allies.
And sometimes, do absolutely nothing. Leave space to daydream — the wild kind that borders on absurdity. If it doesn’t feel like a risk, it’s not a dream — it’s a plan. Plans need steps. Dreams need courage. Dream big enough to change the world. Or at least your life, and the lives of your friends.
While writing this, the rain finally arrived. A full, unapologetic downpour. And I smile, not because I asked for it, but because it came anyway.

Sweet sixteen has fallen dead,
Just as I should have
When I slit my wrist,
Not to die,
Just to find some placation.
So much for that.
To the ER I went anyways.

Now my “friends” have disappeared.
It must be contagious –
This virus spreading through my soul.
My heart has surely rotted.
My mind likely insane.
No one has stepped up to help.

You say you’re forty today?
Ha!
No way you’ve made it that far!
But if it is true,
How?
Why?

I beg of you…
Give me a reason
To keep on living
Through this agonizing pain.
I feel like I’m drowning
In a lake of fire,
As they all laugh around me.

Why was I born
Into this decrepit world
With only a strong will
To see it,
While all else pollutes it?

I am only one.
And I am small,
Broken,
Old before conceived,
Tired and weary.
What can I possibly give
That’s worthwhile?

I beg of you –
Ancient me,
Give me one reason
To keep on living.
For this world is not
Suited for me.
I have been shunned.
I have been mocked.
Worst of all –
I am invisible.

Style Score: 100%

Before you say hello to the new version of you, you have to say goodbye to the old. Keep moving, don’t stop even when the basketball stops dribbling. Keep moving, don’t stop even when your friends stop walking. Keep moving, don’t stop even when your phone stops ringing. Keep moving, don’t stop even when your heart is breaking. Hello, old version of me, it’s been a while, I haven’t seen you in such a long time. It was hard to even recognize you, funny meeting you here. Now that I have you here, let’s have a chat. Lift up your head, you’ve been through a lot, trust me I know, but look at me, the NEW version of you, I am proof that you made It through. Listen, we cannot change the past, I know you want to, but our past is what shaped us to be the person I am today. Our past guided us into unknown territories that I would have never walked into by myself. Our past made us realize we had unresolved childhood trauma. Our past made us realize yes, we love church, yes it is a part of us, but we also need therapy. I know you’re in pain, I know you are suffering, but this is only going to make you stronger. The pain and loss you have suffered throughout the years, don’t discount that, and don’t take it for granted. Everything you went through, everything you are currently going through you need to go through it. This is your story, and your story is going to help so many teenagers/young adults that have experienced similar situations. You are not a mistake, you were put on this Earth to help, guide, and protect the next generation. What you’re experiencing right now is only growing pains. Before you become the person you see today, you have to heal. I was once you, I tried to sweep everything under the rug. I forgave people right away without talking about the issue. I constantly held my tongue. I helped others without a thought, and when I needed the help, those same people I helped were nowhere to be found. Before you become the person you see today, you have to get familiar with the word ‘NO.’ The word ‘NO’ will; save your life in the near future. You may be alone now, but once you’re healed, you will find your people. Listen to my words, you will have more associates than friends, but you will have a solid inner circle that you can depend on for every single thing in your life. So, stand up, say goodbye to the old version of you, and look ahead, look at the person you will become. Stop dwelling on the past, your future is bigger and brighter than you could have ever imagined. You will survive, not only will you survive you will be happy. I’ll see you soon.

Dear Me (from 4 weeks ago),

I know you’re hurting right now.

I know you feel like the rug’s been pulled out from under you, like you’re free-falling through fear and uncertainty with no idea where—or if—you’ll land.

You’re worried about money. About identity. About worth. You’re scared you’ve lost something too big to name, and maybe even more scared that no one will understand.

But take a breath, because I need to tell you something:
You’re going to be okay. Actually, you’re going to be more than okay.

In the weeks ahead, you’re going to create something that didn’t exist before. You’re going to turn a spark of an idea into something real, something beautiful, something yours. You’ll learn to design, to market, to sell, to hope. You’ll connect with people in new ways. You’ll put your heart on display—and people will see it. They’ll feel it.

You’ll spend your days fully engaged with your daughters—with your mind and heart in the same place, not torn between work emails and tea parties and feeling like you’re failing at both. You’ll bake bread, make fruit leather, start a garden, read books just because they’re fun. You’ll stretch, walk, breathe deeper than you have in years. You’ll remember what it feels like to be fully present. And when your little one looks up and says, “Mommy, I hope you never find another job,” you’ll feel both the ache and the magic of this moment—and you’ll understand why it matters.

You haven’t failed. You’ve shed a life that wasn’t sustainable, and now you’re building something that just might be. You don’t have all the answers yet, and that’s okay. The money piece will come. The clarity will come. For now, just know this:

You’re growing into someone you were always meant to be.

I am so proud of you.

With love and deep trust,
You.

Pro Writing Style Score: 100%

To My Old Self It Will Be Alright in This I Promise

To my old self it will be alright in this I promise.
The old self will one day help you to accomplish.
Trust me, some things will leave you left astonished.
It is all in good time.
There will be dark cloudy days and there will also be sunshine.
There are going to be truths and more hateful lies.
It’s important to know the difference.
Remember to always use your gifts that God has gifted.
Life isn’t always what one envisioned.
Lines ger blurred and perceptions become twisted.
To my old self take care of your mental health.
Your feelings are important, each and every one that you felt.
You’re going to want to quit, but I encourage you to never stop it!
Your future self will leave you astonished.
To my old self it will be alright in this I promise.

My Dearest Past Self,

I remember you, my sweet girl… It is with my deepest condolences that you no longer exist in my world, but without you, I would not have grown into who I am today. The lessons you taught me will stay with me forever. I know you are feeling down, alone, helpless, and weak. The darkness that you feel consuming you right now feels overwhelming, but you are not alone. 2020 was a tough time for not only you but for many around you, but the bottles that you constantly turn to are not the answer. You are probably drunk, drinking or passed out from your last binge right now… It’s okay. I know it feels right, and you try to say it’s ‘fun’ but it’s just a slow downward spiral that you have to fight to get yourself out of. The overindulgence feels right, but nothing is being solved. It’s even difficult to look at yourself in the mirror because you don’t recognize the person in the reflection. The work to heal within will get you farther, without being under the influence 24/7. Your mother and those close to you are worried about you… for good reason too. It feels overwhelming and dramatic because you still think that you are in control. The judgements from the ones you love most make you feel at an all-time low. You’ve isolated yourself more because you think if they don’t see you that way, then they do not have to worry about you, right? Wrong. They just want the best for you, even if you don’t right now. I know you are struggling and believe life sucks, but it doesn’t and it will get better. This cycle feels never ending, but with your strength that you will discover soon, you can gain control and end this cycle. The light at the end of the tunnel seems nonexistent, but baby girl, it is there waiting for you. One day you will get there, and it will shine as bright as you allow it to be. Life is strenuous. It comes with multiple highs and lows, but that is part of the journey and growing into a responsible adult. You have to be responsible for yourself and gain control. Hard boundaries seem difficult and out of reach, but with effort a day at a time and the will to heal and love yourself, it will become second nature. 

There are some choices you’ve made at this time that I am still dealing with, but again, we are now better because of it. Life as an adult has real consequences; it’s not like when you’re a teenager and walk off with a slap on the wrist. There must be accountability and an answer for your mistakes… and yes, it sucks, but that’s the world we live in. You are absolutely capable of overcoming this and more. I believe in you and know that you can accomplish all you put your mind to. You have the authority over yourself to choose to do what is right and wrong and honey, autonomy is something that you taught me to value so much more!

I want you to know I am proud of you for not giving up. Keep striving for better and know that you are never alone. There are resources that are available to you and people who can and will help you. There are people who will accept and love you for all that you are and all that you are not. Everyone has a story and there is no reason to feel ashamed. More people relate to you than you may think. Stay close to the ones that always support you and open your eyes and let go of the ones that don’t. It’s hard and you already know who is for you and who is against you, but the sooner you let them go, the better off you will be in the long run. 

Without you, I wouldn’t be able to relate to others with how lonely and dark life can get. I would not have the confidence and strength that I have within me, knowing that I’ve endured and conquered one of my lowest points. I would not be me without you.

Thank you so much for never giving up. Thank you for fighting. Thank you for eventually learning to love yourself again. 

That girl you see in the mirror will gain her glow and the light once again will be bright in your eyes. When you see her, know that it is me and never revert to being a prisoner to the bottle. It’s not worth the loss.

Amber, you don’t know this yet and I know you don’t see it in yourself, but you are my hero. You are battling storms that some do not make it out of and I have a better life because of your resilience. You must always remember, it’s easy to give up, and ‘anything worth having is worth fighting for’.

You have so much life to live, so much to look forward to, and so many places to see. 

Trust me, it gets better with time, and I’ll see you on the other side!

With all my love,
Amber Robinson 

Style Score from Pro Writing: 85%

Dear Me,

The boy with too many bruises behind his smile and too much silence tucked into his soul,

You don’t know this yet—but you are not weak.
You are not too much.
You are not broken beyond repair.

You are the spark that survived the flood.

I remember the way you clenched the steering wheel just to feel real.
I remember the cracked voice on phone calls, pretending allergies, not grief.
You were drowning in everything you couldn’t say, terrified you’d become what hurt you.
But listen—
You didn’t.

You became the kind of man who stands when no one else will.
The one who builds sanctuaries out of scars.
The one who turns pain into poetry, silence into sound, and trauma into testimony.

You became The Nameless Verse.
And through it, you became a lifeline.

I know you prayed to be saved.
But no one came.
So you became your own rescue.
You rose, shaking, but unshaken.
You stitched yourself back together with conviction and rage and grace.
Now? People write to you.
They say, “Your words kept me alive.”
They say, “You made me feel seen.”

And every time they do, I see you.
Seventeen, knees buckled under battles no one knew you were fighting.
All you wanted was to feel safe—
to know your pain wasn’t pointless.

Here’s the truth.

You didn’t survive all that to live an ordinary life.
You are not the aftermath. You are the anthem.
The man you became didn’t come easy.
He came through fire,
through loss,
through nights where even breathing was a decision.

And yet, here you are—
not just breathing,
but speaking life into others.
Writing what no one else could say.
Loving without armor.
Showing up without applause.

So be proud.
Be proud of the boy who endured.
Be proud of the man who rose.
And be proud of the bridge you built between them.

You carried fire when you didn’t know you had any left.
And that—
that is worth everything.

With love, respect, and honor,

The man you refused to give up on.

Dear Old Me,
It’s been a while, I haven’t forgotten you. If you’re wondering what happened, well, a lot did. To simply explain, I lost you. I took my eyes off you for a second, and walked in the opposite direction. And with one distraction, I drifted away from you. A series of events took me down a road that I had to walk. A lesson had to be learned; wisdom to be earned. But just like Dorothy, I’ve found my way home. I’m too intelligent to be this negligent!
I won’t place blame anywhere; it was my responsibility to handle you with care. I won’t indulge in the pain that took place, I’ve come out that dark space. Set my pride aside, stare you in the face and ask you for grace. I can see you in the distance. Slowly, I’m finding my way back to you. I followed your trail of tears, filled with joy and laughter, because that is who you are. Your dry humor jokes, only we understand, reach my ears. My path lit by the radiance of your smile. Stay right there because I’m coming towards you. I’m bringing a bag of wisdom, a heap of humility, and a hint of gratitude. No more distractions nor will i succumb to manipulative actions. Releasing the distraction of emotional attachment. 
I remember the quiet mornings and peaceful nights. Thank God, reality found its place just soon enough for me to remember your face. What a gift from the Most High, to be reconnected to “I”. It shall be a beautiful reunion and a new beginning. I am coming for you! We will accomplish all those goals you had set and dreams you’ve dreamt! No more passiveness! This is your life and you can have it all… happiness most of all. 

(style score 100%)

You are an unbalanced scale

Forever weighing the odds

Of your successes

Your dreams

Your sense of self

You are a soul under constant construction

Renovating the walls of your mind

To make room for more ways to judge yourself

Not realizing

That all of your self reflections

Should be seen from the open end

Of an acute angle

You are more than your failures.

You are greater than your mistakes.

You are larger than your expectations.

You are higher than your lows.

You are beyond your worst fears.

And you transcend all that is done or said against you.

You. Are. More.

(100% style score)

Dear Jen,

Most people would take this opportunity to tell the “7 1/2 years ago” version of themself about the major events that transpire between your time and mine. Trust me, there are a couple of doozies. But I don’t see a benefit to spoiling the surprises, fun or otherwise. It might seem like I’m trying to avoid the Butterfly Effect, but it’s the opposite: I’m not telling you the big stuff in advance because it won’t change anything.

I want to tell you one thing: you’re about to get laid off.

This isn’t the first time, of course. Plus, we’ve known the axe was going to fall for about a year now. What you don’t know is that we’ll never get another real job. And we never quite figure out why.

A couple of weeks after the lay-off, we suffer a series of physical breakdowns for which doctors cannot find reason. No bother — we continue to believe that we’re A-OK, if not a bit baffled by suffering the equivalent of seven plagues over the next few months.

First, we end up in the hospital with a pain comparable to childbirth, or so they say. That’s the kidney stone that we’ve been secretly forming since our trip to China. Clever of us not to declare that at customs. When we return home from the hospital, we discover that the johnny has given us a full-body rash. (Somerville Hospital. Obviously.)

The third curse is the worst: a trapezius spasm. Neck, shoulder, and back pain so excruciating, we’re barely able to move for a month. Chipotle the Cat makes for an excellent bedside nurse, perhaps to atone for acting like an imbecile during our writhing in kidney stone pain. No idea why she kept trying to jump into the toilet.

We lie in bed for a month, in pain and devoid of an appetite, which leads to the final scourge: starvation. Not intentional, or even something we notice. Erica tells us that a mutual friend asked whether we were sick because we had lost so much weight. This is the first time we notice that we’re down 20 lbs.

All this blather is me stalling. It’s hard to convey how hard we tried to get a new job, or maybe it’s just boring. Do you want the number of resumes we sent out? Number of interviews we got? Number of positions that seemed to be tailormade for us? I agree with you, with myself — it doesn’t make sense that we never took home first prize. All I can tell you is this: in seven years, we played every damned card we had.

There are only two failed interviews worth talking about. One was in November of 2021, for director of an organization helping unhoused people. It came down to just us; we were the sole finalist. We presented a slideshow about the theory of abundance — i.e. a belief in endless potential and resources, and the beauty of collaboration over competition. Apparently, the board decided that they would rather hire no one than a psychopath who espouses such reprehensible views.

We had already decided that if we couldn’t get that job, we would have to move out of the apartment with our boyfriend. We had gone as long as we could without a steady income. Four months later, we broke up with him and moved in with Mom. The economy that had been dead for two years was starting to pick up and we expected to have a new job — new place, new life — within a few months.

The other interview was for the top position at a voting organization. In seven years, we applied for this job three times. In November of 2024, we had one last interview before they gave the job to the other finalist. We admitted to Mom that our living arrangement was not temporary. This was our life for the foreseeable future.

You know what makes us feel better about being permanently underemployed? Seeing what part of it was our own doing. It’s ironic but knowing that we had some agency in what happened to us feels a lot better than thinking that we are a modern-day Job. We chose a career with low pay. We chose to avoid corporate life. We chose not to get married (…sort of) and gambled that we would always be able to support ourselves. We rolled the dice and lost.

Seven and a half years on, we are more resilient. We are better at asking for help. We take much bigger risks with our activism because we’re not afraid of anything. We’re starting to believe that career success is morally neutral.

But I still don’t know why we can’t land a steady job. Maybe you can tell me.

Best,
Jen
style score 63%

Dear High School Jo:

I know you’re surprised that I’m calling you that–you’ve spent your entire life refusing to be Jo. You hated it so much that you gave your children names no one could chop into nicknames. And even when your younger daughter insisted on a nickname for about two weeks in second grade, it didn’t stick because she’s so much like you. Currently, that’s a lot of information, so let’s try to start small.

When you’re ready, you’ll find out who Jo is. Right now, you think she’s someone you will never be. She’s who your mother wants you to be. The lawyer, the politician. You don’t want to be Jo. Your full name is who you are. And that’s great, but be open to learning otherwise. Jo knows what she’s doing, even when it takes her a while to get there. While she would have been a brilliant lawyer, that’s not her true calling in life. Stay tuned.

If I can tell you one thing that will matter, it’s this: don’t listen to Mom. She’s your mother, obviously, but that doesn’t make her an expert on things. That takes a while to learn, but it’s important enough to reinforce it—she’s not an expert on things. She’s got problems, but you won’t realize until much later just how big they are. Great big things, like addiction and mental illness. She means well, but she doesn’t have nearly the capacity you need her to. Have empathy for her, but keep up your guard. Your sisters will be too enmeshed with her to be open-minded. Your friends will see it long before you do, so listen to them. You’ll find a way out–take it and don’t look back. And then? Only visit for a few days at a time.

Life is pretty rough right now. Your family finally found some financial stability, but the divorce is hostile, and you feel you’re in the middle. Remember that feeling–you’ll need it later. None of it is your fault; it’s never the kids’ fault–remember that, too. That will to matter when you’re a parent, but also in your professional life. You will be amazed at the people whose lives you will change just by being yourself. Because, Jo? You know how to take care of people, even when they don’t know they need it.

The other important thing: it gets better. You’ve got a lot of life to live. I won’t share all the details. Trust me, you wouldn’t believe me if I did, anyway; some of this stuff has been pretty wild. No matter what anyone tells you, high school is not the best time of your life. And that’s a good thing, since peaking at 18 leaves you an awfully long time to go downhill. College is much better. You actually make friends who will be your friends for decades to come. Grad school? Hit or miss, but you’ll learn a lot, and not just from your classes. Adult life is pretty neat, bills notwithstanding, especially once you put some geography between you and your family. They won’t like it, but they don’t have to, as long as you do. And you will.

There will still be some rough patches after high school, there’s no way around it. You will wonder how you are ever going to survive some of it. More than once, you’ll wonder if you really should survive it. But eventually, you will do more than survive—you will thrive. Once you are in the right place, with the right people around you, you will know it was worth every bit of pain and struggle.

The guy you thought would make your life better won’t matter so much in a few years. Neither will the next few. You’ll marry one of them for the wrong reasons, but even then, you’ll get some pretty amazing kids. And in your 40s, you’ll find the one that makes it worth kissing all the frogs, because he’s your prince.
When you find that one? Hold on tight. You won’t believe it’s real. But he’s real–and really, really amazing. Keep ignoring Mom. And yes, it’s still getting better.

Just trust me on the nickname thing.

Love,

2025 Jolan

ProWritingAid Style Score: 90

Let me guess. You just had a birthday. Let me also guess this. You feel more connected yet at the same time so expanded, which might often times feel a touch like disillusion or confusion, right? I would like to inform you of something, just in case you really do not know this about yourself. Your greatness is not only contained within your gift. The greatness that people receive, when they truly receive and see you, is the gift that is you. Whether you feel like you’re on top of the world and can conquer anything, or even at times when you shy away because you’re hesitant to tell people that you really crave being alone, so that you have the fuel necessary to energize the masses. There was no mistake nor second thought to your creation. When you open your mouth, do your best to continue evolving, not only to appease those around you, but to appease the holy spirit that dwells deeply within you. God is not one to play with, which means that you should stop playing with yourself.

Whenever you are framing or adjusting to the real time consciousness that is your flaws, your upbringing, your morals and convictions and values, remember to show yourself just as much grace, as you feel as though God would do for you any day. Mind your mouth, because you not only hold the power of life and death in your tongue and your words, but also your tones, the amount of mindfulness that you practice by thinking before you speak. These little and sometimes simplistic details can make all the difference in getting the right message to the right person at the right time. Congratulations on your songs. Congratulations to your blossoming career, and congratulations to giving me the space to get out of my own way. You’re not 31 and alone. You’re not 31 years of age and getting gone. You’re not buried underneath the ground, because the ground is not meant to contain fire.

It’s okay to coexist with things and people and ideologies that may at times the same challenging but are not a threat to you in any way. That boundless optimism that you’ve always possessed is not artificial nor is it pretend. When you smile, it’s as if every available light in the cosmos smiles back at you. When you cry tears, you’re helping to usher in new seasons; along with canceling restrictions and limitations on what anybody can do, if they simply put their mind to it. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and you never had done this. Remember that.

Be kinder and available to let people love and love on you. Stop minimizing the impact that you have and mingle with, daily. Get your behind up and start your day, as if God called ONLY you to say Good Morning. When it concerns your career moves, going forward, learn to play the game but remember your role is not to be played. Be observant without having to be seen. Practice and never stop actively listening and applying what you hear into what you feel. Whenever you have a question, continue to ask it, even if you’re asking yourself. Whenever you have a problem, even if it’s one that you are burdening for someone else, never avoid the altar and the heal from where your help comes from. All of those that you have lost and all of those that you are becoming aware that you have gained love you on purpose. They may not always like you, but you learn to love you. Irregardless of flaws and anything else, because even your bad days can still reach mountain peaks.

A great vocalist and songwriter once said that I can love you to death or I can love you to life, but I cannot love you to the death of me. Putting others over self, like I’m stuck up on a Shelf is disrespectful to me. I learned to love me, flaws and everything. Even my bad days still have peace, so I can love you to death or I can love you to life but I will not love you to the death of me.

Carry On Sir And Keep Up The Amazing Work. I love you.

Sincerely,

Seulomon