Dear 16 Year Old Gary
There are so many things I want to say to help you through the difficult times you will face in your teenage years. Growing up and becoming an adult is hard enough when people understand you and class you as normal. Gary, you are far from normal and to be honest, you are something special and should not feel down or beat yourself up for not fitting into what is classed as acceptable in society.
There will be plenty of people trying to make you feel shit about yourself and try to break you down to make themselves feel better. Stay strong and know life has a way or coming back to bite those people where it hurts. Your whole life is about learning and you should learn as much as you can in school but don't feel like thats it for you. You have so many years to learn and become who you want to be. People may call you stupid and make you feel like it’s the truth. Understand that people learn and express themselves in different ways. You are far from stupid and grow to be a very intelligent person who knows what they want and is always sharing that knowledge with others.
Times will be hard and I wish there was a way I could make sure you don’t go through some of the things I did. You will feel scared at times and feel like there is nowhere safe. Please stay strong and make sure you don’t lose yourself in a world that is full of demons and trials.
There will be people you feel you can trust and have your back. Please beware, not everyone is who you think they are. It is often those you hold close who will hurt you the most. Unfortunately this is something we all need to go through to understand life and be the strongest person we can be.
Growing up isn’t just full of scary stories. Embrace every experience you have and don’t feel bad about the mistakes you will make. Life is about learning and the best lessons learnt are the ones from our mistakes. You will make close friends who will always be there for you. you will know who these are so please hold them close and be there for them as much as they are for you.
I know it seems like growing up is a scary prospect and to be honest, it really is. Just know you are a strong person who will come through anything you face. You will love, hate and love some more. Life is an amazing thing and you should embrace it as much as you can. You have an amazing life ahead of you and there is someone you will share it with. Family will be a big part of your life and I know you will love every second you have with them. You will discover a love that’s beyond this world and there is nothing like it.
I don’t want you to be scared of what is to come. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it really is the most amazing thing. Life will always be hard but please learn to hold the moments that make you smile, close to your heart. They will get you through any challenges you may face.
Lots of Love
28 Year Old Gary
