I Wish I'd Known Then...

Dear Teen Gwen,

Hi. You sort of don't know me.Yet.But I am you in the future.First of all, I'd like to point out that you are not fat, flourescent yellow makes you look sallow, and two pieces of Hubba Bubba gum in your mouth is two pieces too many.

I'd also like to let you in on a little secret. Nobody is really paying that much attention to you. They are just as obsessed as you are in their worry about what everyone thinks of them. Seriously, sweetie, nobody cares. You don't have to live so deep in your head. Have a little fun.

But, I'd also like to point out a few things you are doing right. First of all, tell your mother that you will still like Def Leppard when you are forty (in two years, *gulp*). She's completely wrong. You will still even go to their concert and sing loudly when "Photograph" plays on the radio. And the tattoo you want at nineteen? Go for it. You still don't regret it. She was wrong about that too.

Also, you know those two best friends you have had since 7th grade? You'll keep them too. Yeah, even the nutty one. Go figure. Even though you move away from each other and don't always keep in touch like you should, when you get together if feels like no time has passed at all.

That boy that gave you the willies when you were a freshman actually DID join a circus freakshow. Not even kidding.

That boy you had a crush on but pretended not too? He turned out to be a good egg and would have been worth your time. But he is happily married now to a great girl. You'll like her a lot too. Bittersweet is a wonderful emotion.

All that writing you do? Keep it up. I know you won't, not for a long time, but if you would listen to me you wouldn't give it up for quite so long. But that is the thing. I know you won't listen because I am a grown up now. That's okay, there is probably an old lady who wants to write me a letter about my upcoming forties--and I won't listen to her either.

In the meantime, take a bottle, shake it up, break the bubble, break it up....

Love,
Gwen