From the Archives

We're supposed to fill out a "Get To Know Your Teaching Staff" thing for my school, and the last thing they ask you to contribute is, "Best advice for young people." I saw that initially and thought, "Oh yikes. What to fit into two LINES?" I remembered that I'd written this a couple years ago-- a letter to my cousin on her 13th birthday, my aunt had asked me to write something that might help her along the tricky business of "growing up." Looked at it this morning for inspiration, and I just sort of like it still, so I thought I'd post it. :) Enjoy.

To Miss Maggie,

Well, dearie, I’m only 22 which feels very young to be giving advice… But I remember thinking 22 sounded pretty old when I was about your age, so maybe you’ll credit me with some “aged wisdom" after all... :) So here they are, the staple bits of advice I have come to rely on, and the lessons that I myself have stumbled over. Picture trumpets and fanfare to go along with them if you please.

1.) Fairies DO exist in some parts of the world. They are not in America, but they are in Scotland and Iceland, and some parts of Scandinavia as well. Magic is real if we let it be.

2.) Don’t ask questions that you don’t want to know the answer to.

3.) The best friendships are formed after midnight. This is especially relevant as a college student. Coffee is widely available on college campuses for a reason; relish the late night talks, and never mind the bleary eyes the next morning.

4.) Life should be an adventure, and it’s your job to make it that way.

5.) Everyone is weird. People pretend not to be, but really, everyone has their quirks and the only way to be the best version of yourself is to figure out what makes you tick, and GO with it. You can tell how mature a person is by where they’re at in their state of pretending. True maturity comes when the façade drops, and the delightful human emerges.

6.) Don’t forget to play.

7.) You should always have at least one impossible dream, and you should let yourself believe it might just be possible.

8.) Guys love a girl that can play guitar.

9.) Journal.

10.) The best way to be loved is to love FIRST. Don’t wait for others to love you; take the initiative--then watch the whole world change.

11.) Travel. And this one I heard FROM your mother when I went to London: Do some things that your mother wouldn’t approve of. (But don’t be stupid.)

12.) You will get hurt in life, and your heart will most likely get broken. But that is no reason to live in fear of brokenness, or to push away the wonderful feelings while they’re there. If brokenness comes, cry, and praise God that He is giving you an opportunity to grow closer to Him, and write a few killer break-up songs. But don’t ever try to prevent yourself from falling in love. Falling in love is great.

13.) Remember that it’s okay to ask God questions, but that He has a funny way of answering them sometime. Never forget that He loves you and finds you beautiful.

I hope these few points will make the road ahead a little smoother, but it’s okay if the road has some bumps, because that’s when we learn, and that’s where poems and stories and songs come from. Oh, shoot, one more:

14.) Any bad event or embarrassing moment can usually be turned into a great story.

You’ll learn your own lessons though too sweetheart, and I’m sure you’ll eventually be teaching them to me. Just remember to enjoy life, and notice the little things, and take care of people, and write it all down. You will experience glorious mountaintops and dismal valleys but they’re all part of the colorful tapestry we’re putting together, and I bet that we’ll have a great conversation about them all with our Father one day.

You are LOVED Maggie. Happy 13th birthday. :)

Your big cousin,
Greta