Shaheer Ahmed
Dear younger self,
Hope you are having fun growing up. First things first, it’s okay to be you and that’s all you have to be today, tomorrow and forever.
Math is just a subject. Bad news – you’ll never understand it. Good news – you’ll learn DMAS rule. Divide chocolate (not), Multiply empathy (always), Add shughal (jo baat hai) and Subtract MATH, I mean HATE. Oh wait, do they rhyme?
You don’t have to be embarrassed about going back home and crying in the lap of your mother because of school bullies. It is and will always be “okay NOT to be okay”. “Shafiq meri baat suno rondo kahay janay par, tumhara aur ronay ka koi maqsad nahi.” Rona is not a sign of weakness; because if it is, you will always be a weak person but an upright one. Phir Ghalib sahab ka is shair mein ishara tumhari taraf hi to tha “royein gain hum hazar baar, koi humein sataye kyun?”
You’ll learn to speak. Your lisp will go away and so will the fear of speaking in front of strangers. Stage, people, and attention will not keep you up at night. And oh, the only sport you are good at will become the dinosaurs of 21st century. Yeah, future will not be about dodging the ball, because you’ll be busy dodging your sisters after stealing Generation kurtas and elo trousers from their wardrobes.
You owe an apology to Tom because growing up you’ll start siding with Jerry. I know right, who would’ve thought that? A little sneak-peak into future, the guys in Dhuan are still alive, Alhamdullilah! Kia karoun mein kisko khaoun will just not be a dialogue from the past in the future, you will literally feel The Zakoota Jin’s syndrome, if you know what I mean.
Growing up, at times, the world is going to feel like a set of Hunger Games (just future things) but remember with every kind act you do, you might not win a silai machine, but you will win the approval of ‘YOU’ – Your true self.
To the child you are, you will always be alive inside your future self. Sometimes you will feel sad about that, but most of the time you’ll be happy for who you are, a child-like grown up. Aur waisay bhi jungloon mein bhi rastay to hain, humein bhi koi mil hi jayega. World will be brutal every once in a while, but mostly people will be kind, friendly and adorable. Remember one thing, people will never fail to amaze you with their kindness, hard work, empathy, sense of humor, wit, and wisdom. The world you are going to live an adult life in, will be beautiful but a little broken. Get ready for the awesomeness.
Growing up will be fun. All you have to do in the future is to keep making the world a little better every single day with your presence.
Adults don’t have much time kiddo, have to do online shopping now (just future things and what not), so I‘ll be signing off.
From your past and future hero,
Yours not-so grown-up self.
