Hello old friend,

I write today to my future self, the person I will become ten years from now.

I know things have not been easy for you. They never are. But I hope that you overcame all that crossed your path. I hope that you are standing tall over all obstacles and disadvantages. We have worked hard so far in our lives, and I know that you have had to work even harder to get from here to where you are now.

I write this in hopes that you have finally achieved something worth cherishing. I hope that you don’t have to work so hard anymore. I hope that you can finally afford to let loose and enjoy life. As I write this, I know I am exhausted, and I would like a few days off, but as things stand, I cannot afford that. I pray that things are different for you.

Today, I am in my late 20s and by the time you read this, you will be in your late 30s. I know that our priorities and goals are different. Whatever your priorities are, I implore you not to forget who you are and where you came from.

It’s easy to forget. The surroundings make it easier to give in. But please, remember your roots. It might seem like it is the better option to forget and forsake, and I am afraid that with all the goals we have set for ourselves, with all that we have convinced ourselves are important for us and with all the challenges in front of us, it will be easier to just forsake. But please do not abandon your roots.

By the time you read this, I know you have gained much more experience than I have at the moment, so I trust you to make the right choices.

I don’t know what your routine will be like ten years from now. But I know this — there are a few things that we never wanted to give up. The first one on that list is reading. We have always wanted a neat little library, and if you are still on the path that I have been travelling, we should have a nice little library by now.

Please do not be complacent about having a collection of books only. Please read and continue to read. We never planned on stopping reading, not till our eyes gave in, and I hope you are still continuing this odyssey.

I pray that you have not lost your compassion and conviction. It is easy to lose compassion when you live in a rude city, but that is no excuse. That is the city’s real face, and we should not stoop to that level. Politeness is an invaluable blessing. I remember when we were only ten.