Dear five-year-old self,
You didn’t know that bills were going to have to be paid and that learning to drive would come about so quickly. 18 came by quickly. How you wish you could eat crappy food without guilt and run around in day camp without the worries of high school bullying and work drama.
Dear five-year-old self,
You never thought a chronic illness would come about and that you would become disabled. You didn’t think that you would actually get to be an adult and you would have to make choices. You didn’t think that life would go by quickly and that you would have to outgrow Bratz dolls.
Dear five-year-old self,
You had best friends in elementary school but didn’t know you would grow apart in middle school. You didn’t think appearance and popularity would be important until you realized how mean kids really could be. You didn’t know studying could be so hard and just trying to fit in felt like an extra task.
Dear five-year-old self,
You didn’t know the anxiety of adulthood would come about and that the work world would really be something to become an activity on a daily basis. You didn’t know that pressure and drama would occur from college and that innocence of youth was taken away as you realized you had to grow up.
But listen, five-year-old self,
You didn’t know how much you would accomplish as you got older. You didn’t know how smart you were when you achieved academic awards and good grades in high school and college. You didn’t realize how resilient you were when you had to overcome a disability and the adversity and harshness that the world would throw at you for being disabled. You didn’t think you would find love but a boy loves you just the way you are.
You thought as a five-year-old that life would be smooth which was not the case but as you grew up you learned to make choices for yourself and learn how to care for others.
You overcome being fired and laid off from work and being discriminated and bullied against for your disability. You made mistakes you admit and lost friends along the way but you have learned lessons that have made you into a better person. You have become strong and realized to put yourself first and focus on self-care. You have realized that love and laughter are important for happiness and to not stress the small things.
Dear five-year-old self,
Tell your older self to relax and breathe once in a while and to stop overthinking. Tell your older self to give yourself credit for the things you have done and to not beat yourself up over the mistakes you have made. Learn to always overcome fights with parents and loved ones as you continue to grow into a better person each day.
Dear five-year-old self,
Give yourself a chance to let your 27-year-old self be happy and smile. You’re doing the best you can.
About the Author
Molly Rose lives in PA but is originally from NY. She wrote for Odyssey Online in 2017 and has now started her journey with Puckermob. Molly is getting her Master’s degree online in Human Services at Capella University. She is an advocate for individuals with disabilities. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.