Dear Younger Me

Dear Younger Me,

Look at how far we've come. 

I can't tell you how many times 

I thought we would never make it this far,

and, yet,

here we are.

About to go to college

the whole world opening up to us.

I don't have much to say to you

other than I'm proud of you.

I'm proud of all that you are,

even though you aren't.

I know you are strong,

even though you don't.

I know you will get through,

even though, if it were up to you,

we wouldn't.

I should give you some updates.

We're successful now

and we can only go up from here.

We're happy now.

I think that's the biggest change.

And I couldn't have done it without you.

I owe you a lot.

You have been through so much

and you never let me lose my optimism

or my humor or my love for people.

You did everything right for us

but the only reason I know that 

is because we're here now.

We wouldn't be here if you hadn't been so strong.

So thank you. 

Thank you for all your strength.

No matter how many times you wanted to break,

You didn't.

Thank you for not ending it.

I couldn't have made it here without you.

Yours truly,

Future You