Dear 17-Year-Old Me

Dear Carol,

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

So, now you are seventeen at last. You are keeping your head above water in school, you have a job, a little money and lots of friends. Everything is going good, although sometimes you have moments of panic about the future. It is a bright ball of flames just within your grasp. All you have to do is learn to reach for it.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

This is the time you will discover boys. There will be lots of boys. There will be some losers and some you will still be in touch with years later in one way or another. They are not all bad so please don’t treat them like they are. You are a good girl with a warm heart. Be kind and, most of all, be honest and be loyal. Playing games doesn’t ever work out well. I’d would love to tell you who you should stay away from, but I don’t need to. You already know… sadly, you love the drama.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

The perm that you think you will just give one last go, don’t. A perm is not a good look for you.

You are a creative soul, learn to stretch the muscles of your imagination. You don’t want to spend your life in a 9-5, shuffling papers. That isn’t you. Don’t let anyone tell you what career you should choose and what direction you should follow. Make your own decision and follow your own path for what makes you content and not for what others expect. Learn to walk in your own shoes instead of trying too hard to live up to other peoples expectations. Don’t wait to be happy.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

Your mother is not your enemy. One day you will realise she is simply doing the best she can with what she has. Go easy on her and the occasional hug wouldn’t go astray, she won’t be around forever. Likewise with your friends. Enjoy the time you have together now before life sucks you all off in vastly different directions.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

You are stronger than you think and braver than you feel right now. There are wonderful things ahead of you, places you’ve read about and new experiences. Don’t forget to stop and breathe once in a while.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

Kindest regards,

Me

Excerpts from Oh, the places you will go! by Dr, Seuss.

 

Today’s post is to celebrate the release party for Jennifer Lane’s new Young Adult Novel, Streamline.

Amazon

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He’s captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother’s crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father’s abuse, battered and alone.
Leo’s girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida’s top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there’s an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.
Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything’s on the line . . . streamline.

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