The letter from 10 years ago

Today was the day I finally opened the letter I had written to myself ten years ago. It was a mundane Tuesday where I spent half of the day squirming on my bed. It was not that I had nothing to do, but I lacked the motivation to take action. I can see piles of paper on my study table, and my closet has become a garden where each outfit blooms in the open air. My room was a mess, and technically it kind of resembled the state of my mind. I wish I had some kind of superpower that could do the tasks I have at the snap of a finger. Dreamy of me! I know. But then my imagination was cut short when my mom stormed inside my room unannounced. I don’t know what to do with “middle-aged people” and their lack of respect for our privacy, but yeah, she did invade my space unhinged by her character. I thought I was lucky because she did not catch me in any act, and I was just sleeping. Just as I was giving credit to myself for being the best child, she cut me short by shouting. I was startled to even get what she was saying until she pulled my blanket and threw it on the ground. ”OH NO, GIRL!” I thought, My room is a mess, and moms do hate that. I got up and took a firm stand on the floor, like a navy SEAL taking orders from the commander. All my motivation was restored, and there was no back pain as I said, "Yes, ma’am, I will do everything you ask." Right away I realized my mom is a good motivator, and I will hire her sometime when I grow up because I could use her to my benefit. Then I got right to work; I started with making my bed and organizing my space as much as possible. I was going through my jewelry box when a ring fell off my hand and landed under my bed. Armed with nothing but a flashlight, I crouched low into the dark abyss under my bed. Motes of dust were swirling like tiny galaxies, but my ring shined more, so I was able to easily navigate it. As I pulled my ring from under the bed, my fingers grazed something; I peeked down to see what it was, and I saw a familiar box from my childhood abandoned in the scary dark. Hours have passed since I started going through the box while reminiscing about my childhood memories and the good old days. Vibrant and colorful pictures I have drawn, short stories and heartfelt poems whispering love and joy penned on well-worn notebooks, thoughtful letters, and postcards from friends and family are nestled inside it. Each item holds a memory sanctioning beautiful, cherished experiences. A blue paper folded in fours caught my attention; I gently unfolded the paper as it was making a crisp sound of creasing while I was trying to read what was written inside. The date reads October 2012, which is ten years ago. As I read through it, I realized it was a mini dialogue I had written for a competition. I was astonished by how my smaller version of myself played around with creativity, weaving every sentence into the tapestry of exquisite words. My love and passion for art were so vivid in that paper that it almost brought me to tears. The twelve-year-old me had written something that spoke to me at levels of my age now; it was not just a dialogue. It carried dreams, grit, love, and persistence. I envisioned myself back then and who I have become now and understood that I have lost most of my good qualities in the long run. The key takeaway of the dialogue was to move forward. So I decided to do that; I know I can't go ten years back. A lot has changed, and I have matured in every aspect. But what I read on the paper was my values, and I for sure know that they don't just change. So I decided to keep the paper at arm's length to read whenever I feel like I am lost. And just like that I was fixed. Not only did I clean my space, but I was also able to clear the fog and unsettling mess inside my head. And my mom saved me again without even knowing it. I hope I become a hero just like her one day.