Dear 40-Year Old Cassie.
ByA letter to myself.
Dear 40 year old Cassie,
I think about you often. I wonder where you are in your life, who you are with, and what you are doing.
And as it is our nature I worry. I worry that you aren’t happy. I worry that you aren’t where I imagine you to be. And often, I worry that you are. I worry that you are lonely. I worry that you don’t take care of yourself. I worry that you settled.
I know that we tend to hold on to the past but I ask you please don’t play the “should have” “would have” games. Trust me, you did everything you thought was right. You did your best. I can assure you, because right now? I am doing the best that I can.
Please, don’t think back to the “good old times,” and reminisce of life in your 20’s. You know things now. You are sure about things now. The only thing I am sure about? Well, I am not even sure that I am sure about anything. It is scary. Your 20’s are scary. I am a little bit scared.
Now that we got all of that out of the way. Let’s talk about your 40’s. You better be traveling. I know, you probably are working really hard. You probably don’t have the time. You may even have a family. But seriously? We promised our self we would travel to Bali, and Greece. We talked about Italy and France and even fantasized about Australia. Get. Moving.
Don’t give up your passions. Don’t write me off as young and naïve. I know I am a little crazy. My ideas are big. But that is ok, so is the world. So just keep slaving away. Talk to everyone you meet. Share your ideas and your passions. Don’t let them gather dust. And for the love of God don’t become trapped in everyday routine
I hope that you are happy. I hope that you achieved your dreams. I hope that Aiden is doing well as a 24 year old man. (holy cow!) I hope that everything came around full circle and that you notice the small things in life.
I also hope the government didn’t l censor technology and take this letter away from you. (Again, I worry)
P.S. I apologize for killing your chance of having a metabolism. Yo-Yo dieting was the thing to do. And the tanning beds? Sorry about that too. And the tattoo we sport? Just roll with it…
I hope you are well.
Love Always,
The 22 year-old you.
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Cassie I was just thinking, “Cassie should have us write letters to our older selves too!” And then you did it! You are a smart cookie for a 22 year old ;) I am going to work on mine and I will report back.
Here it is – thanks for thinking of these letters.
http://justanotherjenn.com/2010/06/10/to-me-only-older/
Just found your site earlier today and loved reading the letters to my 20 year old self. This one to your future self is just great.
[...] I am gaining so much from reading all of these letters to your 20 year old selves. Awhile ago I wrote a letter to my 40-year old self. I asked her to do the same. Enjoy! Dear Forty-Something [...]
love this.
thank you for this perspective.
i am a firm believer that all women should help each other…all ages…all walks of life.
you are encouraging this. bravo!
xo kathleen, 44
Cassie, I’m 63 and had a dream of traveling to France most of my life. I saved and saved and saved. Funds seemed to be used by emergencies each time it looked like I might be able to go. Then I heard on the radio these words, “If you have a dream or a goal that you are not reaching, YOU are the only thing in your way.” WOW. I started saving again and at age 59, I traveled to France for 3 months. Backpack, hostels, cheap hotels and no eating in restaurants. My wonderful husband knew it was something I had worked for but it was not his dream. He didn’t want to go at all, (fear of flying), but he joined me for the last 4 weeks and we saw several other countries as well.
My point is: start that travel savings account. I don’t care if it’s one dollar a week. And do not allow it to be consumed by needing a new roof on your house or fixing the car…that would be the other savings account that you put a dollar a week into!
Thank you for this wonderful blog!
What a beautiful story.
Thank you so much for sharing!