Ian and his childhood friend, Ashley, were busy hauling boxes into Ian’s new house. This was more than just a temporary place; it was his first permanent home, full of memories and items his mom had sent over. As they worked, the conversation flowed with laughter and teasing, but amid the humor, Ian discovered something that made him pause: a letter from his 15-year-old self, tucked away in an old yearbook.
“I can’t believe you still have this,” Ashley said, holding up a pair of skinny jeans with a chain attached. Ian shook his head and laughed, though there was something reflective in his smile.
“Hey, those were my ‘cool’ days,” Ian joked. But as they continued unpacking, he stumbled upon a long-forgotten envelope. His expression shifted when he realized what it was.
“So, what’s that?” Ashley asked, curiously leaning over.
Ian turned the envelope over in his hands. “It’s a letter I wrote when I was 15. We had to write to our future selves in high school. I completely forgot about this.”
Ashley grinned. “Well, you’re already a couple of years late for reading it, so what’s a few more minutes? Open it up!”
Hesitant but curious, Ian unfolded the letter and started reading. The letter from his younger self was filled with wild, teenage dreams and lofty goals. The 15-year-old Ian, full of confidence, had big plans for his future self: having a cool nickname, driving a flashy convertible, and saving the world. But as Ian read the letter aloud, both he and Ashley found themselves laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the goals.
“Cool Jack?” Ashley teased, laughing so hard she could barely speak. “Did you really think you’d change your name to that?”
Ian couldn’t help but laugh too. “I was 15, okay? Cut me some slack.”
But as the laughter subsided, the mood shifted. The letter, while silly, contained reminders of who Ian thought he would become—an environmental lawyer, someone who made a difference. Now at 32, Ian realized he was far from the ambitious person his younger self had envisioned. Instead of saving the world, he worked for a corporate bank, stuck in a routine that never quite matched his teenage dreams.
“I’ve become exactly what I didn’t want to be,” Ian muttered. “A corporate rat.”
Ashley, sensing the change in Ian’s mood, leaned in closer. “Hey, come on. You’re doing fine. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we planned, but that doesn’t mean you’ve failed.”
Ian sighed, staring down at the letter. “It’s just… I was supposed to do something more meaningful. Save the environment, change the world. Now I feel like I’m stuck.”
Ashley placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Ian, you’ve done a lot. You’ve got a good heart, and you’ve helped plenty of people. You don’t need to save the world overnight. Maybe you’re not where you thought you’d be, but that’s okay. You’re still writing your story.”
Her words were comforting. Though Ian couldn’t shake the feeling of being lost, Ashley’s presence and support grounded him. As they continued unpacking, Ian found a quiet moment to sit down with a fresh piece of paper. This time, he wasn’t writing to his younger self; he was writing to his future self.
“Dear future me,” Ian began, “I hope you’ve followed your heart, no matter where life has taken you. And if Ashley’s still in your life, you’re doing something right.”
As he finished the letter, Ian smiled. Maybe he wasn’t the person he thought he’d become at 15, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still become someone he was proud of.