It’s my birthday! I am 40 years old today. To celebrate I thought I would write a letter to my 10 year old self, but then I changed my mind because hindsight is 20/20 and I wouldn’t really advise myself to do anything different. Instead I’ve decided to dig deep inside myself and let the 10 year old girl that still lives in there somewhere ask this 40 year old woman anything she wants to. So here goes…
10 year old me: Whoa, where am I? Who are you?
40 year old me: You are in San Francisco and I am you. Well, I’m the 40 year old you. Don’t freak out, you’ll forget most of this once we’re done and the rest will just seem like a dream. I thought you might have some questions for me.
10 y/o me: You are me? (taking a close look) I guess I can see it around the eyes and you’ve got my big feet…San Francisco?! I was born close to there in Mountain…
40 y/o me: Yeah, I know the spiel. So since I already know all about you, why don’t we just cut to the chase? Is there anything you want to ask me?
10 y/o me: Uh…(blushing)…will I ever get my period?
40 y/o me: (laughing) Yes, really soon actually and then you’ll wish you hadn’t got it.
10 y/o me: Really?! How soon?
40 y/o me: I don’t want to ruin the surprise, just wait.
10 y/o me: Do I ever get my hair to feather?
40 y/o me: No, your hair is just not meant to feather. I’m sorry. I know you really want to rock that style, but it’s just not going to happen and when you finally figure out that you can do it if you spend hours with a blow dryer, it won’t be in style anymore. Instead, you will get another unfortunate haircut that wasn’t meant for curly hair. Someday you will embrace your curls, but it will take you awhile.
10 y/o me: (blushing again) Will I ever get a boyfriend?
40 y/o me: Oh yeah! You’ll have quite a few.
10 y/o me: Yeah, right.
40 y/o me: It’s true. I know it’s hard to believe, but it turns out boys do like you.
10 y/o me: (looking uncomfortable) Cool.
40 y/o me: (laughing) I almost forgot how uncomfortable I would feel whenever I said, cool. I always felt so uncool.
10 y/o me: I know, right? The other day I used a bad word and it felt so weird. Some words that other people say just don’t sound right when I say them.
40 y/o me: By the time you are my age, you will be able to say cool without feeling weird and you’ll actually have to remind yourself not to curse because it still doesn’t sound right, but sometimes it just feels good.
(silence, but not the uncomfortable kind)
40 y/o me: So is there anything else you want to ask me?
10 y/o me: Not really. I think you are right, it would just ruin the surprise.I’ll just wait.
40 y/o me: Okay then I just want to tell you that I love you and that you are beautiful. No! Do not look away from me. You are beautiful and there is nothing wrong with acknowledging it. You do not have to bury your beauty or put it down or pretend that it doesn’t exist. You are beautiful. Happy birthday!
10 y/o me: Happy birthday to you, too! Oh, I hope you still get cake on your birthday ’cause I love it.
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
You made me all smiley with this.
Happy happy birthday to you! I hope you have an extra piece of cake and a fabulous day!!
As someone who has recently looked back and given himself advice, I find this both funny and heartwarming. If only we really could go back in time and redirect and reassure ourselves. I wish you a bright and cheerful celebration on your special day.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Oh, how I wish my 40 year old self had talked to my tween self. It would have saved me a lot of crying.
(Oh, and that cake…now I want it. Badly.)
Happy Birthday to your 40 year old self and your 10 year old self!!! Good thing you still like CAKE! 🙂
Did it not occur to you to tell her the Lottery numbers – or who won the World Cup that year? You could be loaded now, but instead you are debted up to your eyeballs paying off the loan for the time machine. What a waste!!
Happy Birthday. 40 is cool.
Happy Birthday! Hope it’s filled with lots of cake and laughter!
Happy Birthday Mami!!! May you have many more!!!!
I hope it will be a wonderful day for you, Mami.
My youngest daughter’s birthday is also today.
Happy Birthday to your daughter.
That is so sweet!! I wished you a Happy Bday in my post today 🙂 much love you are truly a beautiful and inspirational person! And nobody can rock a paper bag like you!
Happy Birthday!! Oh to be 40 again!! (or 10!!)
Brilliant! And what a lovely gift for yourself on this milestone birthday–you inspire me. Have a wonderful day!
This was awesome! Very cool. 😉
Duh…forgot to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 🙂 <3
Happy B-Day, UM. Nice conversation, but it really have to go down the “that time of month” road?
Yum.
Happy birthday!!!! Drop by and take a chance on a $50 gift card to Supercuts. If you don’t want to use it, maybe your husband would, or you can give it as a gift to a friend.
Happy birthday! I love you!
Happy Birthday, sugar! xoxoxo
AWWWWWW! Happy birthday, Unknown Mami! To you and to your 10 year old self. Your conversation made me remember all kinds of things about my childhood. It’s amazing how important and special the grownup world feels when you are still a kid. And then you grow up and you realize. Oh. Grownups are just big kids.
I’m sory I haven’t been around in a long while! I’ve been working a lot and also my sister passed away and I’ve been just trying to cope one day at a time. I’ve missed you and I’m eager to read more about how you and the kiddos are doing!
Aww very sweet. Wishing you the happiest of birthdays.. and many more to come.
Happy Birthday! Welcome to the 40’s it’s FANTASTIC!!!
Happy Birthday!!
I beat you there. 🙂 40 is not so bad. I’ll be 41 soon…
Happy Birthday, Mami. Hope it is a wonderful, lovely day.
Happy Birthday!!!! I hope you have been thoroughly spoiled!
Happy birthday beautiful lady! 🙂
Happy Happy Birthday! What a great conversation and probably a wonderful prompt for other writers. I just might try it on my birthday. I love the pep talk about feathering hair. Embracing the hair you got is the best young girl advice.
Happy birthday!!!
Oh, I so love this post! Happy Birthday to You!! Sending lots of love. xoxoxo
Will your hair ever feather – that’s great! Mine did feather if I used enough hairspray to keep it all there. Mostly it just looked goofy, so I kept my hair permed into teeeny little curls. I loved that look (and still do!)
Happy Birthday my friend. Happy Birthday.
Will your hair ever feather – that’s great! Mine did feather if I used enough hairspray to keep it all there. Mostly it just looked goofy, so I kept my hair permed into teeeny little curls. I loved that look (and still do!)
Happy Birthday my friend. Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your cake!
Happy Birthday to you! AND – – – I’m LOVING the look of your cake! YUM
Hope you had a great birthday.
That’s a Damn Cool post. You beautiful Lady you…:) Happy, Happy Birthday!!!
This is awesome. Bravo on your creativity, UM. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Love this! I hope you had a fantastic birthday!
Beautiful, just beautiful. Just like you! I hope that you had a wonderful birthday and that your year is rich with blessings and joy.
🙂
Traci
too cute…i dont know if i would want to talk to my 10 year old self…ha. happy birthday mami!!
Happy Birthday Unknown Mami!! You are soooooo going to love 40. It’s awesome. Except for the facial hair, muffin top and boobs that point south, it’s awesome! Don’t tell any of that to your 10 year old self though.
Great post!
Enjoy your cake ….
cool – great post – hope you had a great birthday.
Happy Birthday to beautiful you. : )
I hope it is a wonderful year for you Mam.
Gary’s Birthday is tomorrow. 32 minutes : )
Happy birthday Mami.
Beautiful post.
This was pure genius! Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! I have no idea what my 10 year old would say…maybe I should think about that a bit. You did a great job.
Happy Birthday!!!!
I look your 10 year old self as much as I like your 40 year self!
Hope you had a beautiful day!
What a lovely post, and it sounds so natural. Your POTW honor is well-deserved.