Pen Pals

Today I wrote a letter I'd like to share with you.

Shout out to #TheInklings for nurturing the space,
and time, and kindness to pen this.

#youareloved

Dear Past Me,

Hello

It’s been a while. You’ve been away from us. Or we’ve been away from you?

I look at photos and wonder “who are those young people? Do they know they look scared? And full of joy at the same time?”

If I were to give you some advice years ago, I think I would start with this:

There will be times when you have no idea how

There will be times when you can’t see a path

But

The things that must be

The Lord will make a way

There will be bumps along the road.

There will be wrong turns, and sometimes the pavement will crack.

There will be “recalculating.”

Sometimes the trail you traveled before will be overgrown and look unfamiliar.

Sometimes you won’t be able to see the next step through the tears.

Lean in.

Sometimes you will need to pause, and heal.

Sometimes you won’t have a choice but to press forward,

Lifting your foot and praying the ground will come up to meet you.

To keep your legs moving so you don’t trip and fall.

Sometimes you will crawl or be carried, when all you want to do is sit and weep.

To hide and/or sleep.

To you I say:

Sometimes it’s okay.

Sometimes it’s not okay.

Listen deeply to discern which is which.

Sometimes the answer is a shout

Sometimes the answer is in the silence,

The light, the art, the wind, the soil, the song, the soul.

I wish I could tell you all the answers,

But I’m still learning, too.

And though, I know, sometimes We hate this answer,

We’ll have to wait and see.

But,

I’m glad that I’ll be with you, I’ll bring you along

When we get to walk into Eternity.

I’m glad that, even as the minutes, days, weeks, years count on and upward,

You’re always with me, and I am with you, whether you know me, yet, or not.

To you, to me, to us.

Learning to love you and listen to you better,

Present and Future Me