Write a letter to a young person who is worried about the future.
Dear Friend,
What in the heck is going on here? Things feel bad, sometimes they feel good. Sometimes we forget, and are living in the moment. How do we keep going?
I am sorry for your stress. I am sorry that the weight of the unknown is building into something you can’t carry alone anymore. But I’m glad it brought you here.
I’m not too much older than you, you know. You’ve probably had plenty of experiences I’ve yet to have myself, in fact. The beauty is - we will continue learning together.
The truth is - I don’t know what the future holds. Sometimes I feel hope, and that is powerful. Sometimes I feel fear, and that is not so pleasant. As you already know, this life is a robust feast of varying tastes and colors and feelings and experiences. The Taoists would suggest that we can never really be sure of what is Good and what is Bad, as that it is all connected to each other - you never know what misfortune could guide you to somewhere better, and of course there’s the saying “be careful what you wish for” - what were we forgetting to appreciate while wishing away for something else?
The important thing is to remember that life is now. (This doesn’t mean to throw your computer out the window and run for the hills.) What I mean is that, if we’re lucky, we have time. It takes that time to build, for yourself, what you want to see in the world. It takes a lot of that time to realize that the life before you is a gift in itself. There is a balance to be found, and I believe we can do it.
It is okay to be worried sometimes. Don’t let it consume you. Keep going. Open your eyes. Smell the smells. Listen deeply. Breathe. And know that I’m always here. You got this.
Ansley