The Past and the Future

By Christopher Chao

To myself in the past:

Dear Chris,

Before going to school, I know that car accident injured very badly, but the whole family was safe. The scars on your legs are not important. They are records of how the doctors helped you recover. You should not be ashamed for that. Your life will turn out very smoothly. I swear.

***

To myself in the future:

Dear Mr. Chao,

I can’t think about what you’re doing right now, but I hope you are doing something you really want to do. You are not that emotional animal anymore. You know how to treat people better. Every experience you’ve had helps you become what you are right now. Do not feel remorse for past mistakes because those will lead you to a better place.

Love Letter to Myself

By Grace

Dear Grace-in-the-past,

You are a not-too-bad person. You came to America at a late age. It was a really big challenge for you. The environment changed, the people you met were different, there were many races around you, the language you would use was extremely different from what you spoke. How did you overcome those issues ?I’m surprised that you finished what you wished to.

Now you’ve achieved your goals and I find your article in the Library’s newsletter. It is terrific.

You continue to join writing classes and there’s no stopping you from improving your writing skills. It is a good and useful thing for you.

You love writing poetry. Go, go, go, and write it anywhere, any time.

I wish you success one day. Good luck.

***

To my future self,

After taking care of your sister-in-law, you have learned how to cook healthy food for someone ill. Now you know where you can buy good and fresh Chinese ingredients. You made the Winter Melon Soup really good for someone with a critical diarrhea.

Now you know how to use a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet. Now you know how to water the plants and to classify the trash before throwing them out.

You can also use the dish-washer easily and control the washer and dryer machine without hesitating.

Today you can go outside and look for a job as a caregiver for senior citizens. You have the ability to take care of others.

You are successful. You have done a good job!

Love Yourself

Today is Valentine’s Day, the day that’s considered to be the most romantic. People used to write love letters to one another, and soon they became love text messages, love emails, love Tweets, and love Facebook statuses.

The thing is, you also need to remember to love that most important person in the world: yourself.

So for today, we’re going to write a love letter to ourselves.

1. Write to your past self. Do you remember how you were like five years ago? Ten years ago? Fifteen years ago? Or back when you were a child? What are the things you wish to tell your younger self?
2. Write to your future self. Maybe five years from now, ten years from now, fifteen years from now? What are the things you wish to remind your future self?

Happy Valentine’s Day. Love yourself.