An After Thought...

Day 10 Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge

Yes I did post a letter to my 16 year old self as per prompt instructions - only I did cheat and used song lyrics from a commencement address. I did that late last night (early this am?) and since that time I remembered something I wish I had started back when I was younger so that it would be habit now.

Dear 16 year old self,

I am writing to you from the future when we are in our late 30's. Life in your 30s isn't so bad, you will have 3 wonderfully fantastic children and a wicked smaht husband who works hard and loves his children. I won't lie to you, things right now are not easy - two of your children will have medical challenges that require constant vigilance and continued learning. However those same medical challenges have made you and them stronger, wiser and braver. Anyway I digress. My real point to this letter is to tell you to get active now! Stop lying around watching Gilligan's Island and Mash and get moving. Run everyday, take up a sport (the jocks aren't all jerks), get back to riding your bike, do a few crunches and push-ups each day. Avoid soda (diet and non-diet) it offers no nutritional value and you will become addicted to it. Eat more veggies. You are not fat - in 15 years you will look back at pictures and realize that. The mirror lies.
I tell you this because getting active when you are in your late 30s and haven't been active in 20 years is difficult. Being active becomes work (ie workout) instead of being fun. Don't reward yourself for being active with junk food - defeats the purpose. You deserve to be happy and healthy so reward yourself now by hiking up the huge hill covered in woods behind your house - take your camera. The woods will be gone by the time your 30 replaced by housing developments.
Keep standing up for those who can't stand for themselves. Keep up the good work with your grades too - school may seem like a bore right now but you will love college so much you will spend 10 years in it and want to go longer. By the way - you will join the Air Force and you will kick ass in basic training - when you graduate you will look and feel fantastic - don't let that go.
Cheers young self.
PS. Buy stock in Apple Now.
PSS. Don't let the people in your office in the Air Force introduce you as Christina. It will stick and you will be ok with it for a bit because it will make you feel more mature but soon after the Air Force you will miss simply being Tina.