Letter To My Younger Self - Haayat

Dear H,

I look back at you with a lot of emotion. A mixture of emotions. At school, you are hardworking, although your teachers say you are lazy. You enjoy learning, although your grades hardly seemed to go beyond average. Aabo always tells you to work twice as hard as everyone else to have hope in life. You don’t understand why he repeats it every day and sometimes you zone out when he tells you about the reality of this world. But one day, H, one day you’ll realise his words are rich in truth. It’ll hit you one day.

There are some lessons you will have to learn the harsh way, my love. If I could help you, I would tell you that you are enough. That you are unique. You are at the very beginning of a long, long journey. You will experience every high and low before attaining the very basic: the ability to love yourself. Open up and protect yourself at the same time, the ride will be a bumpy one. Oh and H, remember this. Remember that friends will come and go, but your family will always remain. They are the ones you should rely upon, after Allah.

Lots of love,

Your elder self.