Khat- A Letter to your youngerself

 

                                                            

Dear Younger Self,

 

I want to tell you so many things, it's hard to know where to start.

 

I know I’m supposed to be writing to you, reminiscing old memories, giving you important life lessons, advice, on what to avoid, how not to make certain decisions; but trust me I don’t want to.

 

I won't give you ways to avoid heartbreaks. I won't, because I want you to go through them and get over them like the fighter you are. I won't, because if I do so, I won't be sitting here, writing this letter to you. I want you to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep fighting your way through.

 

I won't give you a list of things to avoid doing, a list of people to avoid meeting. Actually, I'm going to avoid giving you any kind of lists at all ( jk, wait for it )

 

One thing I want you to know is that whatever you experience, whatever you go through, you will survive. There will come times when you feel like giving up, but please have the courage to fight your way through, smiling, enjoying every moment because you won't get these days back. Go out. Enjoy life. Go kiss that dude, don't hold back. Do not wait for the “perfect moment". Nothing is perfect, and not everything is meant to be planned ahead.

 

I know you think you’re not good enough, but I promise you, you are. You are so much more than enough. Maybe you don't realize your real beauty, because you think beauty is all about magazine covers. Let me tell you, you are beautiful. You are extraordinary. Beauty isn’t found on magazine covers. True beauty is being nice to people. It is what you are from the inside. Beauty is being nice to your parents and appreciating them. Beauty is giving back to society, making people around you happy. It is just a series of letters strung together to make a word. You give it meaning.

 

Stop looking to others to find your worth. Learn to love who you are and let that be enough. Those people you try to be perfect for? They do not care. They won't even be a part of your life in a few years. Your only constant is you.

 

I know you have experienced trust issues, unexpected things happening in your life, maybe you've had your heart and mind - both broken, maybe you didn't understand your worth, maybe you might have trusted the wrong people, and it is okay. Let me tell you one thing. You are going to get out of trusting red flags who take you for granted and who treat you like garbage. You’ll meet a man who finally shows you what it means to be in a healthy relationship. One that is filled with love, support, creativity, and encouragement for all of your ideas. Trust me when I say this- he will give you the world. Something you’ve never experienced before. What it truly means to be in love.

 

Go live your life to the fullest and do not change for anyone. I believe in you

 

And finally, the list I wasn’t supposed to be giving you:

 

-Don’t be afraid to ask questions
-Don’t lie to your friends (unless it’s a plan you want to cancel last minute and your “mother isn’t letting you go ;)”
-Do NOT stop reading books
-Tell your mother you love her
-Breathe.
-You are going to grow into a beautiful woman one day. Trust the process.
-Don’t take yourself too seriously. End of the day, we are all a bunch of idiots, living dumb lives, hoping for miracles.

 

Last, but not least: Believe In Yourself.

 

Love,

Your future (supposedly ‘mature’) self.

-Rtr. Gehna Chandiramani

Rotaract Club of Thane Lake City

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Tejas,

 

It’s me, A confused yet experienced version of you. As much as I am familiar with myself, I

know that you won’t pay heed to anyone! Honestly, I’m not any less carefree as you are (Old habits

die hard) but what I could guide you is an honest foresight into what you will or will not be.

Somewhere in December of 2015 you decided that you’ll pursue Science and enrolled yourself in a

PCM class where every day your curiosity of Science and Tech was being trampled by the Orthodox

Book bound tutoring that served only one purpose – MARKS. It was April of 2016 and you were in

the Math lecture, Calculus was driving you berzerk and you were bombarded with a doubt, ‘Why

did he do what he just did?’ But you never asked!

 

You had every right to ask what you did not understand, you had every right to satisfy your curiosity

but you kept shut and never asked. You were afraid that what you might ask may be too foolish, too

stupid to disturb a professor at work. Maybe he’ll make fun of you and send you off, maybe because

you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself, but at what cost!

This attitude of keeping quiet while suffering a misery inside will soon lead you to lose interest in

Science and all its mysteries you adorned. You will always resent being quiet and never escape

“out of the box”. You will since then always choose to follow the easy way out, not because you

don’t want to face any trouble, but because you just don’t enjoy challenges and one day, the glass

pyramid will lead you to leave science altogether. You won’t ask ‘Her’ out, you won’t let out your

emotions, you won’t speak up on numerous occasions ahead because you have a fear of what

everyone thinks. And that fear will keep eating you until you wake up.

 

You molded your life since that incident and today I am way too different from what you assume you

will end up as. I don’t hesitate to ask nor am I any less curious, rather I’ve learned that this won’t yield

me any advantage nor will I progress. But I do know one thing for sure that if I had spoken and

enquired at that moment, I might have been proud of myself. I would have still been pursuing

Science, I would have asked our crush out and maybe I would have a newfound interest in

something I’ve never imagined.

 

The World operates in a strange way; It asks you to be yourself and then bends you to walk its way!

But that doesn’t need to change who you are. I want you to ask and be curious unless you are not

satisfied with your answer. So, I want you to ask that question. Be laughed upon by classmates,

ridiculed by your professor, rejected by your crush, and face the music, but trust me, you will be

benefited from this. Sooner or later you will be tormented by curveballs the life ahead throws at you

but thill then STAY CURIOUS & STAY CAREFREE.

 

Much love,

ME

 

-Rtr. Tejas Venkatesh

Rotaract Club of  DY Patil University School of Management

 

 

Hey You,

"Everything that occurs teaches and prepares you for the next stage of life. Nothing is lost."

~ Zig Ziglar

Life is a series of intermeshed events - big and small, that impact our lives in varying degrees. But their importance is relative to our stage of life. I remember, as a child when someone broke my favorite toy I was so upset and angry that I cried and cried inconsolably.  I refused to eat and for days at a stretch slept with that broken toy by my side. In another similar instance, a friend of mine broke a Barbie doll that was given to me by my Masi and I refused to talk to her for days and months altogether. Now that I think about these things, all I do is laugh about it. Even though the older me is still possessive about my belongings but as a kid, I always feel that I went overboard with my emotions. As kids or teenagers we are immensely fond of our friends, isn't it?

When we have fights with our friends in school, it seems like our world has tumbled down right? How would we ever pass the boring periods in school without them? Who would we gossip with or share our lunch with? So this one time when I had a huge fight, more like a misunderstanding, with my only best friend at that time over a petty issue and we never spoke after that, the teen me would often wonder what went so wrong and whether I'd be able to make another one like her again. After so many years now,  I still wonder what went wrong but only when something reminds me of her. The insecurity or the uncertainty that the teenager I had over that issue has surely vanished because I've made new and really close friends over these years. The teenager me would miss her every day and want her back, but the adolescent me has realized that everyone comes into our lives for a reason and not everyone stays forever. I do miss her now at times but the only difference is that I have now accepted that this was how it was supposed to be but I just wish we had ended on a good note.

The kid/teen me was a lot more concerned about a lot of people but the adolescent version knows who to let in and to what extent. I am glad that I've finally realized that a lot of things that the younger me never realized are the ones that I do now. Even though some things would be less complicated that way, I am much more content at present. All I wish to do is let my younger self know that anyone who wants to be with you will stick to your side no matter what and the ones who don't, certainly do not matter. In the end what matters is your happiness, family, and a few close friends.

- Rtr. Seemantini Shekdar

Rotaract Club of DY Patil University School of Management

 

Hey hii it's your own older version this side!

Glad to see this gorgeous clear skin yet again..

Yes sadly I have pimple prone skin now!

But does that anyway matter we are one and same.. (Lol)…

You seem so tired and So today I want you for a while to let your  hair down and go through this letter once

It might help you answer the question you're stuck on..

Everytime I think of you i feel amazed at how life has now turned  into. Of course Not the same as planned but much more Beautiful And I am grateful to you for all of that I have achieved today..

Yesterday You were shy..

Today you're confused

And tomorrow you'll be anxious..

But remember to be yourself everyday.

In this journey you'll see a lot of changes around you but remember to  differentiate between the change you want and the change you must  ignore..

People will influence your actions and words but you're smart enough to stay true to your roots. We've got a long journey sweetheart  we'll surely make it worth..

So for now worry less and live more

You're doing much better than you think..

Keep Going, Growing & Glowing

Yours sincerely,

Ketki

- Rtr. Ketki Sonawane

Rotaract Club of SIES College (Nerul)

 

 

 

Dear younger me,

 

Hey! Uk as a child I always wanted to be a grown-up or adult and the only reason was I would get a license and then I would be free to go anywhere all by myself. Everyone says that childhood is the best part of life and as a child everyone wants to be an adult but when we actually grow up everyone thinks that..no.. life was better when we are kids and life sucks as an adult.

But I would rather say that life is actually pretty amazing! Of course, there are more responsibilities, you have to work harder and every time everything doesn't go as planned. But sometimes life also gives you more than you expected!

There are a few things I would like to tell you. Firstly, enjoy the process...don't wait for happy moments, create your own happiness in whatever you are going through.

Don't ever hold grudges against your parents. Sometimes your opinions won't match but remember that they always want the best for you.

Go out of your comfort zone and discover new things...who knows..you might love doing these new things

Be a good communicator. Talk to as many people as you can.

Grow through what you go through.

Always be kind and grateful.

LIFE IS A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY! 

 

Love,

The older you

 

- Rtr. Arya Panhalkar

Rotaract Club of Bharati Vidyapeeth Sunrise