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My Younger Self Knew
A trip down memory lane reminded me of who I have always been.
“ Your desires, Whether or not you achieve them Will determine who you become.” — Octavia E. Butler
I was recently asked what advice I would give my younger self. As I mentally scanned through the volumes of advice I wished I could impart on the younger me, I said that I wished I had known that my true power came in being myself — not shrinking, trying to conform, or ascribing to someone else’s idea of success. I also said I wish I had dreamed bigger at a younger age.
Fast-forward to this past weekend. We ventured out to Timber, Oregon — where my mom lives, and I grew up. Project: de-clutter 30+ years of accumulated stuff.
Seeing old pictures and revisiting school assignments dating back to kindergarten felt like jumping in a time machine. I hadn’t anticipated wanting to flip through the books I had made, journals I had kept, old photos, and report cards from elementary school — but there I was, sitting in my mother’s basement taking it all in.
