I was recently tagged by one of our natural hair beauties, the lovely Ariel of La Petite Sirene a Londres. Be sure to check out her blog and show her some love! In the tag, I was to write a letter to myself at sixteen years old. Lol, just thinking about the type of person I was at sixteen makes me chuckle because I was full of nothing but a zeal for life and endless energy! If only I could have an ounce of that energy today! 
Hey there baby girl!Listen, I know you like the back of my hand so I’m not going to attempt to sit here and preach to you about how you should handle every situation in life. At this age, you feel like you can conquer the world and you are anxious to get out and make your mark on the world, which I commend and truly admire. Stay young for as long as you can! I know you're in a hurry to leave the nest, and I am very much aware of what you are enduring at home. Trust me, it will get better. Please, please try not to hold onto these feelings you have in a negative way. Your experiences may help another young girl (or boy) who may be faced with the same issues that you and your family are dealing with. It is never easy to love someone who suffers from a mental disorder and at this age, you don't understand it but, you have to learn to let it go. You have to understand that the hurt and pain that you feel cannot be helped by the person who you love the most, but also are mostly hurt by. It is not her fault and you have to, HAVE to simply, let it go. If not, it will change your entire outlook on life, love and people in general. Your strength is in your compassion, but your compassion can also falter as your greatest weakness. Learn to use it wisely and guard your heart.
Listen, your life is yours and every decision you make in life, be it relationships, friendships, career choices, education or otherwise, will have a consequence. The world can be a cold and bitter place to live in at times- don’t let that stop you. Every situation and obstacle you will be faced with in life will ultimately prepare you for the person that God has intended you to become and your ultimate purpose. Listen to me- YOUR LIFE HAS PURPOSE! You were created to make a deposit into the earth that will benefit future generations. You have to realize that you alone, cannot change the world. You can however, change a life or a single person’s entire world. Your strength is in the ability to smile and pick yourself up quickly when faced with the hardships of life. YOU ARE A SURVIVOR and there will be times when you will be tested and tried, but you can never lose your spark for life!! Never lose faith in God, He is truly your backbone and your stepping stone. He will never leave your side as long as you will have Him- remember your favorite song from singing in Youth Choir? Order My Steps? Remember this song when you feel as if you have lost sight of your purpose because God is always ordering your steps. The devil will step in and plant seeds of doubt in your mind, causing you to question your every decision. DO NOT allow the devil to cast doubt in your head, you were fearfully and wonderfully made and there is none other like you baby girl! Everyone who says that love you will not necessarily love you. You will grow into a woman that will truly learn to love herself and not care about the opinions of others. It may take you a little while to figure all of this out, but trust me. The road that lies ahead of you will be tough- but God will put no more on you than you can handle! You will become a strong, determined woman because of this. You will be admired by the people in your life that matter the most, for your strengths and your ability to laugh at adversity.
My advice to you if you take nothing else from this letter is to never allow any man, woman or incident to steal your joy. It's yours and it's not for the taking! You will be inspired on so many levels by the many souls you will encounter on this earth. Be mindful of the souls you allow in your circle because some of them are devouring souls and those, you want to stay far away from. Don't shun the lost souls, because they may need your help in guiding them to the light. You're life at where I am now, it may not be what you imagined but you are truly blessed. You are surrounded by love and that is what will keep you grounded in a world where love seems to be lacking more and more each day. The love you have is unconditional- the best kind around. Embrace it and live your life to the fullest! It is and will never be too late to chase your dreams so always, dream bigger than your mind can imagine!
I will always, always, always love you!
XOXO, The Adult You.
