To You, in 2,000 Years: A Letter to the Person I’m Becoming

To you, in 2,000 years—or perhaps just you in two.

Time is a strange architect. We live our lives in the ‘now,’ yet we are constantly haunted by the ghosts of who we once were and the expectations of who we want to become. When I say ‘we’, I’m talking to you of course: the person I’m becoming.

I can’t lie to you. I never could, because we both know what is true to us. There is a part of me that shudders at the thought of our past failures, and another that dreads the idea of not being where I want to be by the time you read this.

But you know what?

Those sinister voices of doubt have been growing quieter ever since the new year began. I assure you, this is not just a case of seasonal New Year’s motivation; I am truly confident that things are starting to look up.

And how could they not? After all, you can’t really tell when you’re rising unless you know you’ve been immeasurably low. And I can confidently tell you: the past two years have been the worst of my life so far.

You lost someone close to you. To cope, you drowned yourself in the pursuit of making music—a brief stint of wanting to be a musician. Then, everything became a jumbled mess. You lost your sense of direction and purpose, leading to an academic downfall that should be studied (seriously). You confronted harsh truths about your dreams of studying abroad, realized you hadn't planned as far ahead as you should have, and then had your heart torn in two. Why does everything feel so unfair? You watched the people around you leave you behind in the dust, and that felt even worse.

But standing here today, the wind feels drastically different. Or perhaps I've just positioned myself well enough to finally let my sails catch them. Whatever it may be, I'm looking back at those times with a smile on my face. I hope you're looking back at this letter with a smile too. Because I'm glad I made those mistakes. I'm glad I faced the setbacks. I'm glad I sank the ship, for a time. I am grateful for every painstaking stumble, every trip, and every fall—from then, until now, and every one thereafter—that I must endure to become you.

After all, you wouldn't be you without them, would you?

I’ve worked hard to make sure all the cards fall in the right place this year. University's starting soon and we'll have a fresh slate on our academics. I've had the hard conversations with myself that I’ve long ignored and come to conclusions on what my path will be from here on out. I've narrowed down what matters to me and what doesn't.

“Your thoughts and actions shape your character; your character shapes your destiny.”

The mistakes I've made set me up for a foundation of invaluable realizations that I want to ensure you never compromise on. So here we go. Tick this off in your head, one by one, ask yourself if you've stayed true to them. I'm going to give you a really hard time if you haven't.

• Consistency. It is better to be the man who places one small brick at a time every day than the man who tries to place several bricks at once in short bursts. Fortresses aren't built in a day, but they are built every day.
• Service. Devote yourself to figuring out how you can provide value to the people around you, your loved ones, your community, and the world at large. It will fill your soul. To serve others is to serve yourself.
• People. Choose your friends critically. Really ask yourself if the people you associate yourself with are worth your time and effort. They can be your biggest asset or greatest downfall. Be kind to all, but place your needs first.
• Move. There's no use in crying over spilt milk. Keep your head held up high and keep moving forward. Better to dwell on how to patch your leaking ship than to be stuck paralyzed at the sight of water.
• Live. Experience life, do not be afraid to live it. Welcome moments of spontaneity and spend time with your friends and loved ones. A life lived with regret is a life lived without meaningful memories. Make those memories.
• Grow. Stay hungry for the things you don't yet understand. We live in an age where the sum of human knowledge is just a click away; there is no excuse to remain stagnant. Learn, evolve, and use what you find to build the version of you that I know is possible.

Hold these realizations close to your heart. Let them be the compass that guides you when the wind shifts again.

As for me, right here in the present, I have an undying belief that I’m doing everything in my power to become you. I hope you look back on the labour of my current self and feel a sense of pride—the kind of pride that is borne only through overcoming the ever shifting tides. Because from where I stand now, looking across the years, you best believe that I am already proud of you.

Two thousand years is an exaggeration, but becoming you has always felt timeless.

Keep moving forward.

From You, 2,000 Years Ago.