December 5, 2021

Dear Future Me

By: Cassandra Gibson

Original Graphic by Cassandra Gibson

Dear Future Me,

I hope you have found what brings you joy and lights your being with fire that warms every person you meet. The days where it was hard to get out of bed and start are now worth the pain and hardship you faced, because now you have found ways to persevere through the suck to see the blessings that were around you all along. Be bold in sharing this peace with others, the peace that brings along compassion and love. Encourage people to find their own true passions so that they too may be true to their hearts.

Do not forget how far you have ventured through life not knowing what is being written into your next chapter, all the while holding bravery and courage close to your heart. Yes, there were times when you doubted what lied ahead, but somehow you always found enough willpower to move forward. Looking back on last year, you were at a different college playing basketball in a different state meeting different people and now you attend a University that you love and are surrounded by people who want to see you succeed. So remember, Don’t lose sight of who you are, but never be afraid of what you will become.

Lastly, as Chris Gardner says in The Pursuit of Happiness, “You gotta dream, you gotta protect it!” I never imagined that I would be sitting here on a bright Sunday afternoon in November, writing in my own apartment that I share with my best friend, with a lovely view of West Texas A&M University, and the feeling of happiness looming through the air. I have a job now, working somewhere I enjoy, the school I attend is wonderful, and I am so thankful for the place that I live. If you were to tell me as a senior in high school that this is where I would end up, I would have laughed in your face, but I somehow made it to where I am presently and I couldn't be more excited for the future. Dear Future Me, you’ll have many dreams throughout your life, some of which will come and go and others will become intertwined into your purpose, but whatever you dream, whether big or small, it is never too much for you to handle. Keep dreaming and pushing past limits, because this is the best way to grow.

Original Graphic by Cassandra Gibson