Letter to my Younger Self

Dear Steven,
While this letter is not intended to shield you from life’s adversities, it will hopefully provide you with some level of comfort, despite how bleak things may seem at the moment.

Your mother’s death will have a profound effect on you for years to come, forcing you to grapple with the questions of life early on and the legacy your parents have left you. Don’t fret, your path has not been written. At this young age, you have yet to fully conceptualize this idea of choice and the role it will play in your life.

You will learn many of life’s lessons the hard way. However, it will be to your amazement that your tribulations will inspire potential in others. Lean into those opportunities to connect with others for your gifts were not meant for you alone.

Forgiveness will play a critical role in your ability to heal and move forward in life. It will be nothing short of transformative. It will allow you to be free from the burdens of your past—enabling you to live freely in the present. What will soon follow is this unwavering awareness of self and others. This awareness will become your motivation to want and strive for better; to want and create a legacy far different than the one your parents have left you.

Listen carefully: do not let fear preclude you from sharing your light and love with the world. Learn to embrace vulnerability and to use the time you have been gifted with intentionality. Your intuition is strong, pay attention to it, it will serve you well. Find people and activities that help to ground and nurture your spirit.

Steven, know that you are more than the sum of your past mistakes, but remember to always stay rooted to where you come from.

The totality of your earlier lived experiences is the bedrock of who you are today and will continually inform your interests, the person you aspire to be, and how and where you invest your time and energy.

The adversity you endure will reveal to you your capabilities, your strengths, and your fullest potential. You will defy the odds and challenge the status quo, a testament that one’s plight can be altered—with the motivation and desire to seek change—and the humility to never forget what it took to get there.

Me Ke Aloha (With Love),

Your Older Self