Dear Me

Today is my 37^th birthday. If I can whisper to my teenage self, what advice, warning and insight I might share? This is the letter I would write my 17-year-old self.

Dear Me,

I have good news and bad news. I’m afraid the good news won’t sound so good now - but in time like every door that shuts in your face, another will open and in the end you will be rejoicing that it slammed and locked you out so that you were forced to try another.

Well, at the age of 37 years in 20 years into the future, you are not going to marry a beautiful girl or living in a big house with your beautiful kids for that matter. Now, don’t start sulking because you haven’t heard the worst part yet. Brace yourself; you will be living in a small room (actually maid’s room) with your mom and dad in Keramat. Yup, you will not be living in New York, London, Paris or Tokyo.

I know, it wasn’t what you wanted to hear, but really the world we grew up is not what you imagined. Same goes the world you will find in your early 20’s in Japan. Don’t get too excited. Same deal there.

Now, here’s another one difficult to explain. You are a smart boy and you know damn well that “being brainy” opens door of opportunities. But you have bad instinct and don’t want to listen to others. You will not listen to your father to take up an offer to do Business Degree in the US but you take up Engineering and Japanese language instead. Guess what, you end-up don’t even use both of them later in your life.

What did I say about you don’t listen to others? You are stubborn especially when you are in love. People say love is blind and it is true. You will get married to a decent girl. Nothing is wrong with the girl and no one knows what she looks into you. You must be puzzled, where is she in your life in 20 years to come. Well, she will stick around you for awhile and it will be a wonderful episode in your life.

But not for long, you will be in bad shape after she dumps you. Trust me you will be glad that she left you. It just another chapter in your life and thank god you have great people around to support you. You will get a second chance in your life to do what you always wanted to do. I bet you won’t believe it if I tell you will be obsessed with marathon, duathlon, triathlon and you will become an Ironman at the age of 35. You will feel and look so much better in your mid 30s than in your late 20s.

Although you will be working in a few good companies, please remember that life is not all about works. There are many other things you should enjoy. You will find a good life balance. You will have to find a way to make yourself useful to others. Yeah, sounds a drag at 17, but believe me it seriously fulfilling. You have to learn what girls seem to know instinctively, and they know it when you lie. Too bad, you are a terrible liar. However, you must learn about confidence and bluff. Get handle on that and you have a chance at running a show.

Good news is you will have two boys from your marriage that keep you going strong every day. They are the most wonderful things in your life. When you are 37 and looking for love is distant memory, they remind you what’s important when you are 17. There, happy now? I’m so sorry if you are not. I promise to write again when I reach 47. Perhaps better things will happen to me in the next 10 years to come…. Insyaallah.