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Dear future me,
I hope you’re doing better than I am at this moment.
I hope you’re at peace with our past,
That you're no longer haunted by projections, as I am.

I hope you've learned to speak gently to yourself,
To forgive yourself for the things you didn’t know,
For the times you stayed too long, or left too soon.

I hope you've stopped shrinking to fit spaces that were never meant for you,
And learned to leave when you're hurt and they don’t care.

And I hope — truly — that love feels safe now.
I hope you feel cherished and taken care of,
That love feels as free as it once was, and how it should have always been.

I hope you have friends — good and loyal ones,
Always someone to go places with you, even just to pass the time.

I hope you've learned to rest,
Not just sleep — but really rest.
The kind of rest that comes from knowing you don’t have to prove your worth all the time,
And that you no longer have to put down all the fires in the world.
I hope you have help and that, with this help, you’ll build somewhere safe for your dreams and hopes and craziest desires.

I hope you've let go of the need to be understood by everyone.
Some people just won't get it — and that's okay.

I hope you no longer beg to be heard or chosen.
I hope you’re so sure of where you belong and what you deserve,
And settle for no less than this.

I hope you've learned to choose peace over proving a point.

And I hope, above all, that you’ve made a home inside yourself.
A soft place to land, even when the world feels loud.

I hope you love yourself, even when it seems the world doesn’t.
I hope you know that, from right here, I’m cheering for you.
I believe and trust you.
I’m doing my best to become you.