Things I’d Tell A Younger Michele
Posted by Froggy on April 24th, 2008
I’ve been reading everyone else’s posts about talking to their younger selves and they are all very interesting. There are things I would say to my 15 year old self and still other things to tell the woman I was at 32 and different ages in between. I’ve been thinking about mine a lot so here goes….
10 year old Michele - stick with the Trombone….you are good at it, and it’s going to pay off and open up a whole other world for you. It’s going to take you away from the doldrums of your dysfunctional childhood! Trust me Missy - I love you!!
13 year old Michele - Try out for Marching Band! You’ve done all the Flag Squad rehearsals before tryouts, now DO IT! You will always regret this one if you don’t. You’ll have a daughter one day who will be in the Marching Band and your regret will come flooding back because she will have a blast!! Don’t chicken out and don’t let your Mom be the reason you give up. Who cares if she doesn’t come to anything you are involved in, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it anyway and have a terrific time! DO IT!
18 year old Michele - Don’t take a year off before you go to college. You’ll never go and one day you will suddenly wake up and be 42 and still not be the teacher you know you were meant to be! There is plenty of time to have fun and party, just don’t do it NOW!
20 year old Michele - Tammy got married, she didn’t invite you….big deal. She’s married and you’re not. So what! He’s a jerk and he will be the reason that she dumps you and the lifelong friendship you vowed to one another when you were only 8 years old. Love her, but let her go. Trust me Michele, I love you.
20-Something Michele - Quit smoking pot already - it gives you the munchies and the munchies make you fat(ter). And anyway, it’s illegal. Who needs that? Also, don’t put too much stock in friendships that seem rocky. Haven’t you learned anything yet?
26 - Here you are a new mother and single again…YOU CAN DO THIS AND SHE’S AN AWESOME KID! Leave sooner rather than later, he’s only causing you heartache and grief and anyway he’s dumber than a doorknob…cute is all he has and that fades once you see what a jerk he’s going to be.
32 year old Michele - Don’t fall in love with the first guy who comes along. OK, so you have a young child you are raising alone, and you are lonely…and living with your Mom isn’t the greatest, but you are doing all right. Yeah, I know, he’s very cute, and very smart (something new for you - a braniac!) but he’s so young and not ready for the committment….don’t put all your eggs in that one basket, he’s gonna break them and your heart!
I guess I think I’ve done ok in the years since then..I still want to go to college and become a teacher so if we ever can afford to do that I will. Summers off, doing something I love?…right up my alley. Can’t wait!
As I sit here ready to wrap this one up I can think of much more to say…but I will save that for another time…
April 24th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I think its interesting to look back right now. Do you think your younger self would have listened to the advice? Its funny doing this and looking back on the past because without it we wouldn’t be the learned more sensible people that we are now would we?
April 24th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Hey Michelle - hindsight is such a wonderful thing isn’t it?! Yours was the post in the comments that made me laugh but only because your advice about college was the complete opposite of mine!! I WISH I had taken some time off to learn about me and be my own person sooner and see some more of the world. BUT would I be where I am now and who I am now if I had? I think it’s cool how we all feel so differently about life and its experiences. Question: can you still play trombome - always thought that looks hard (I played baritone!!)