Dear Sarah

...Written May 25, 2015...

Dear Sarah,

 

Hey there, it's me... younger you. How's life treating you these days?

I hope you are happy.

I hope you are deliriously, blindly, can't-stop-smiling happy. I hope that you wake up each morning excited to face the day, and whatever it might hold.

 

I hope you look at your husband with the same appreciation, respect, love and desire that you have today. I hope the two of you have found time to appreciate each other more, because lately that opportunity has been scarce. I hope you still stare at him in adoration as he plays with your firstborn son.

 

I hope you have slowed down enough to appreciate and memorize all those important first moments with your little boy. He is six years old now, and before you know it he'll be a teenager, then a grown up. I hope he has a sibling who has made your family complete. I hope you soaked up that perfect little baby's cries and snuggles and gazes and cuddles like they were the last you'll ever experience. I hope you stare in amazement at your children as they play together, wondering at the perfect family you have created.

 

I hope you're not so tired.

I hope the Seahawks have won another Super Bowl title. And that maybe the NBA has finally returned to Seattle.
 

I hope that you've figured out how to balance your life better. To enjoy each and every activity and new memory, instead of just feeling relieved at crossing the next thing off your overwhelming list. I hope you've learned to prioritize your time, cultivating a few deep and meaningful friendships that will last a lifetime. I hope that you've continued to work at bridging the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you're going to need the people you knew when you were young.

I hope you have learned not to hold grudges, and have worked on your jealousy issues. Just let that stuff go. It doesn't serve you, or anyone else.

 

I hope, at 38, that you are happy with the way you look. I hope you take time to focus on yourself. I hope that you exercise consistently, and make healthy food choices. I hope that maintaining a thin, fit, healthy body is no longer a dreaded chore, but a normal part of your lifestyle. I hope your husband still thinks you're the hottest mom on the planet.

 

I hope that you read to your children every single night before bed.

 

I hope that the world is a better place. But if it's not, I hope that you have found some way to let go of the bitterness you sometimes feel and see the good in your own life, if nothing else.

I hope the laughter has outweighed the tears.
 

I hope that you have continued to cultivate strong adult relationships with your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. I hope that you are still incredibly close to your parents. I never truly realized how much respect and admiration they deserve until I became a parent myself. They are two of the most incredible people you will ever know.

I hope you have traveled the world with your family. I hope you have experienced adventures beyond your wildest dreams -- in exotic places far far away, as well as in your own backyard.

I hope you are happy.
 

Regardless, I'll stand by whoever you've become, and even if you are not who I imagine you will be, I'll support you. Because maybe who I'm imagining is someone else... And you're not someone else -- you're me.