To be opened in 2024

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week I chose the topic: You have three choices:
1. Write a letter to yourself in 10 years from now.
2. Write a letter to yourself from 10 years ago.
3. Write a letter to your current self FROM yourself from 10 years ago.


First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

I was inspired by the following posts:
After The Death Of Their 12-Year-Old Daughter, Parents Find The Letter She Wrote To Her Future Self from Buzzfeed

and

This is 40 from Snarky Mommy

Originally I was going to write to my 28 year-old newly married self to warn about some choices that I might regret down the road, but now I see why I needed to make such choices and the positive impact they've had on my life since then.

Therefore, I've decided to write a letter to my future self to be opened in 10 years from now, preferably on my birthday. Here goes...

Dear 48 year-old me:

First of all, I think some Mazel Tovs are in order! E is graduating (or has already graduated, depending on when you read this) high school and you are celebrating 20 years of marriage. Definitely something to be proud of! You've survived two Bar Mitzvahs and one Bat Mitzvah (and I hope you got to go on some fun family trips to celebrate). You've lived through E learning how to, dare I say it...DRIVE A CAR! Then again, I'm sure Jeff was in the passenger seat and you didn't get into a car with E behind the wheel until he earned that license. Now Big M is about to get his permit. (Remember when you were able to get a license at 16?!?) Little M is a pre-teen and while she may not be addicted to Sofia the First anymore, I'm sure you have some other challenges on your hands. If you thought she was picky about her clothes before, that was just a rehearsal for the real thing. Then again, the biggest challenge of all has to do with E....he's going to college this fall.

Just recently, E was telling us how he didn't want to go away to school and we were encouraging him to do so because going away to college is such a memorable part of life. Now you're probably tearing up at the idea of him not being home all the time and worried about how he'll do on his own. Have no fear though. E is like you and he plays by the rules. He's not going to drink until he's 21. Based on how he's doing in school so far, he's a good kid and always gets high marks in school. The teacher's pet, really. And maybe he'll still be a ladies' man, but he'll treat all women with respect and hold out for his besherte. One can only hope, right?!? You may have to worry about M & M when it's their turn for college, but E will be just fine!

I do, however, have to say something important that pertains to you. Last week, I read Tempting Fate by Jane Green. (Amazing as always, by the way. I hope she's still writing novels when you get around to opening this letter.) It's about a woman who is only a little younger than you and also married for 20 years to a wonderful man (actually, 18 years but they've been together for a total of 20). However, she allows herself to become obsessed with the attention of a younger man and it leads her to destroy her marriage and family. (I'm probably being more dramatic here in hopes you'll forget all the details and just take to heart what I'm saying here.) The main thing I'm getting at is NEVER EVER EVER have an affair. EVER. Got it?!? Jeff is a wonderful husband and you have something special together. If you really feel like you're having a mid-life crisis because 50 is right around the corner, do something that's just for you. Get a makeover. Go on a spa retreat. Write that novel already (if you haven't by now...and if that's the case, what is keeping you?!?). Find a new hobby. Go to counseling if you really need someone else besides the person who knows you best to talk you through it. Hopefully, Tempting Fate was as cautionary a tale against affairs as that Sweet Valley High book where Regina dies from snorting cocaine was to never doing drugs. Or how even watching your grandpa age quickly from all his smoking and alcohol consumption meant that you'd never smoke and only drink in moderation.

If I find out that you had an affair prior to this letter--and I shudder at the thought--I will do something you absolutely hate as a form of self-punishment. Maybe it will be eating seafood or scuba diving or moving back to New Jersey (no offense to NJ as a state, but I know the idea of moving back there will make you cringe) or going to your 30 year high school reunion and attempting to talk to everyone you couldn't stand from high school. Don't even tempt me because I will so do that! So I hope you keep what I'm saying to you in mind over these next 10 years and when you read this again you will be still intact in your happy family and doing something special to celebrate your 20 year anniversary. Perhaps you'll finally go on that trip to Europe?!?

Anyway, I wish you all the best and can't wait to find out what the next 10 years have in store. I hope you've been blogging during that time so you'll have more memories to look back upon!

Love,
Your almost-38 year-old self