www.futureme.org

A Letter From The Past

Hi guys. This is a text post but there's a link up top and questions too.

Have you guys ever written letters to yourself in the future? Maybe they made you do it in school. I have, I use a service called Future Me and that's the link I want to tell you about. It's cool. I thought it would be neat to share it with Hubski so if anyone liked the concept they could write letters to their future selves.

This is a letter I received from myself a few months ago. It's old and I'm only including excerpts. I thought if you could kind of see how it works or has in relation to me you might "get" the concept. Plus you might get a kick out of what young ref had to say to old ref.

The idea is really simple. You write a letter, essentially FutureMe holds on to it, and sends it when you told it to. I like to not send myself copies of the letter at inception (which I think is an option). Often I completely forget about the letters and when I do get them it's a surprise. They can be stupid and sappy and sentimental for sure, that's kind of the nature of the thing. But I also find I'm reminded of events that seemed huge...and in the long run weren't, or I can see wheels moving that DO eventually lead me to other places.

So here's my quotes guys...Tell me if you do this !

What would you write to future you?

The following is an e-mail from the past, composed 23 months and 30 days ago, on March 31, 2012. It is being delivered from the past through FutureMe.org

Dear Future refugee

Well, life has been pretty crazy recently.

It seems like you're finally getting accepted by the poetry crowd...

You have always wanted them to think you're a good poet. You have always wanted them to accept you - not necessarily jump to have you as a friend but to accept you. Finally it feels like this is happening. Two days ago you kissed Colin. You're really glad you did - it only took four years - and now that shit's out of your system. Or maybe because you're just not weird and awkward, socially, any more. You can have a conversation. You can hold eye contact. You say hello to people when you see them, and you're glad. This is not who you were... You could barely talk and certainly not about anything that wasn't seven layers too deep.

It's good and it's exciting. Who knows if it will last? ...

But, off of...boys in general.

...You're so much more capable sober. Don't you want to achieve your full potential?

Work's going pretty great. They actually push you, you actually have to try here, and you haven't been perfect either. But that's okay, it's actually more than okay because I'm feeling like this might be the most engaging job you've had ever, and that's something that you've needed in order to really give a job your full effort. It can't be easy. You need to feel challenged.

On the down side I think you're realizing how boring and stupid Compliance is, so I don't know how long you're going to stay on this track. But that's okay, baby. You're young. You've got so many options. Just keep this job, sock some money away in an emergency fund, and save the rest of it for grad school or your dream chance or whatever.

... You didn't realize how little of your poems you shared with anyone besides Katie (and Cam and Dave and Colin - not that Colin counts) until Mel pointed out she really didn't know the kind of things you wrote. And you think she liked what you read (maybe even a lot).

...Now, go on with your bad self, you. Write or edit some more poems...You are wonderful and excellent. And this time of being single is a great opportunity for you to experience and really enjoy the deep smelly funk that you are. You need to just do you, and figure out exactly what that means and how weird you are and how weird you like to be. Put poems all over your room. Paint it any color. Get all the tats and piercings you want and don't ask anyone's opinion who would change your mind. (Is that really a good idea? Depends on their reasons I guess.) ...Read all the books of poetry you didn't have time for last year. Read, read, read and write, write, write. This is an opportunity to essentially do an intensive solo. When's the next time you'll have that? (No idea! Maybe for the rest of my life lol!)

With all my love, I wish what I wished you before, but harder.