Dear Me-in-Five-Years,
I'm nervous writing to you because you're probably so much more accomplished than I am, so much more mature. Gosh, you're going to be forty next year. Dude, you're getting old! You're probably reading this letter, rolling your eyes, and thinking, "Boy, that old version of me was an idiot! Forty isn't old at all!"
Right now, I have five children. (Please don't tell me that in five years I will have more than five. If that's what God has planned for me, I'm glad I don't know about it.) My baby is four months old, which means in five years she'll be FIVE. Heading to Kindergarten.
Which means, in five years, I'll have LARGE CHUNKS OF QUIET TIME IN MY HOUSE.
What do you do with all this time, Future Me? How do you spend it? Hopefully you're writing, putting out the best books you've ever written, because, you know, you can actually sit down for longer than ten minutes and put what you're thinking down on paper. Enjoy that!
Hopefully you are not wasting this time watching soap operas and eating bon-bons or frittering it away on Facebook. If you are, I'm glad I don't know it now, because I would be tempted to kick your futuristic butt.
And while you're making the most of your quiet time, rest assured that I'm enjoying this stage -- having all these little people at home all day, kissing baby feet and cheeks, changing diapers. I'm relishing it because I know how quickly it will be over.
Don't look back and wonder if you spent too much time writing; don't regret it. I'm enjoying my children (our children?) and I love every moment with them, and most of the time I carve out for writing is when they're asleep. I know you have a propensity for looking back and feeling guilty about things. Don't. I love this stage of life-- living my dream of being a mommy-writer. I'm happy, you're happy. Be content. And keep working hard, now that life isn't so demanding (though I know you're still a car-pool mom and will be one for many years to come).
I don't have an agent. I don't have a book deal.
I've never signed an autograph. I've never written a dedication page.
I wonder if you have.
I wonder what your dreams are. Are they the same as mine, or have you fulfilled some of them, moved on to new ones?
I have so many questions for you, but when it comes down to it, I'm glad I don't know the answers. It'll be fun to find them out for myself.
All the best,
The Me of Now
This sounds like so much of my life. I am waiting for school and quiet time, but loving the time I have now. (At least trying to.)
ReplyDeleteI loved this, Amy! More confirmation that we are twins at heart.
ReplyDeleteUgh...I still should be cleaning house and doing laundry, but I had to do a Green Bathtub check during my lunch break...BTW- I caught my non-blog reading husband checking out T.G.B. himself Monday night. :)
Hope you are having a great week. I'm praying you will have the phone call or email you are hoping for very soon. <3
I love this!! It's so endearing and sweet! Do you have such a letter from five years ago in which to compare?
ReplyDeleteHave you written to your past self as well? There'd be a lot of forgiving if I were to write one like that!
LOVE your letter! And I don't think you'll have to worry about your future self watching too many soap operas, because most of them got canceled this year in favor of cheaper reality TV. Crazy right? I thought General Hospital would live on forever. But nope. Gone!
ReplyDeleteI love how positive this letter is. Don't regret anything! I also love your closing. Haven't written a dedication page, sighed autographs... wondering if your future self has (my bet would be YES!). You got me thinking about this too, and how cool it would be to do signings, then I remembered that I used to be in a band and I've signed our CDs! ha! I should have written myself a letter back then so I'd remember it! lol.
Thanks so much for participating in my first blogfest!!
What a beautiful letter. Go with the flow, writer-mama! I'm amazed at how much you do already, while wrangling five little ones. The future is brilliant, as is the present ... God Bless you.
ReplyDeleteI like this but you forgot to include:
ReplyDeleteCongratulations you survived the apocalypse and 2 (or more) rapture scares! Huzzah!
This is a lovely letter. Kudos to you for balancing family, doing the writing thing, and still being optimistic :)
ReplyDeleteDrat! It swallowed my comment. Oh well. I enjoyed the post. Check out Hilde's on The writer's emergency kit. (She has twins) http://thepenandinkblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/ya-write-emergency-supply-kit.html Thanks for Friending us on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteGreat letter. Had to laugh at the part about more than five kids. You never know. You don't have enough for a soccer team yet. You can't give up now. ;)
ReplyDeleteA lovely positive letter - I'm pleasantly surprised by how many people are able to see the blessings of the unpublished years!
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious letter; so full of grace. I think your future self will enjoy reading this. :)
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love your letter! I'll take it as a letter to me in five years too if you don't mind. :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this note! :o) In fact, I think it is the exact same note I'd write myself. We're even the same age... lol
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderfully long weekend, Amy! Hugs!
What a wonderful post. For sure it does all pass way too guickly. Those wonder years. You are one smart mammy to realize it. I think 40 you will look back with a smile on the you of now!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! I loved the part about not feeling guilty. What is up with mothers and guilt?
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping over and reading my post. All the best.
ReplyDeleteI loved this!!! These letters were such a beautiful idea. Kristin Rae is an absolute doll! It's awesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is super! I laughed nearly the entire time I read it!
ReplyDeleteI think your in-the-future self, though, may be a tiny bit annoyed with you. ;)
I did this to the Esther-in-2017. I wrote it in 2007.
I love this, Amy. Our lives are so different - I have grown up kids and teenage step-kids and well, it is different. In five years, I'll be 64 years old. Gaaaaa! I hope I'll be published but you know what I do know - I'll still be writing! Maybe books won't even exist but stories will.
ReplyDeleteplay with those baby toes while you have the chance!
Love it! You know it's funny, I seem to have gotten MORE writing done when my kiddo was a toddler than now that she's in school all day. If I could write another letter to my future self I'd tell her to stop volunteering for so many things. LOL
ReplyDeleteThis post gave me chills! My boys are all in school now, and yes, there's more time to write. But those moments with little toddlers running through the house, well, they're precious. I'm glad to know you, and I hope to be buying your book within these five years!
ReplyDeleteDearest Amy,
ReplyDeleteI expect in five years you are working on your fourth best seller and are still an amazing Mom... You'll be represented by someone wonderful (fingers crossed for a shining star in the agent world) and when your little one starts school full time you'll be able to travel and promote your ya novels. :)
You'll still be young and beautiful in five years...
Thanks for sharing!
What a beautiful letter! I love how you are at peace with what both your current and future selves are doing. I hope you DO reread this letter in five years.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it is probably better to find out the answers on our own.
ReplyDeleteI loved your letter and the quiet time you'll have.
ReplyDeleteI somehow missed this blogfest, but I'll go around reading entries.