Letter to My Future Self

 Dear future Malu, 

    I am still trying to figure out how to begin this letter or what to expect from it, but here we go. First, I will point out my expectations for twenty years from now. I hope that in twenty years, you have accomplished the stable life you always wanted; this regards family, a home, and a job. I hope that in twenty years, people will recognize you for your success and effort in the area you choose to work. I hope that in twenty years, you will be fully aware of the incredible person you are. I say this because your eighteen-year-old self doesn't fully comprehend the dimension of what she is doing with her life; she knows how to speak it write it but doesn't feel in her heart the courage and pride that it took her to leave Brazil so suddenly and start her life from scratch. However, this is not the point. I hope that in twenty years, you have found the right people to walk by your side and have cultivated excellent, lasting relationships with them. And lastly, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that twenty years from now, you will have found the true meaning of happiness and live purposely for it, no matter where you are.  

    Now that my expectations have been exposed, I want to tell you some of my favorite things and, hopefully, see in twenty years what has changed and what hasn't. I'm going to start with the basic stuff: my favorite color is blue, I have three tattoos, the food I most enjoy eating is pasta (& sushi & french fries), the dessert I crave the most is red velvet cookies, my comfort series are Jane the Virgin and Gossip Girl, and, last but not least, I still hate watching movies. I hope these little things never change, no matter how old you are. 

    Now, to be more specific, I study International Business and marketing at the University of Tampa, and my best friends remain the same from Brazil & I'm optimistic that what life holds for me will be the most incredible experience ever. 

With love, 

    Eighteen-year-old Malu (09/13/23)