Dear Future Self,

Aloha! How are you doing? I’m doing pretty good for being in quarantine for two months.

Being in quarantine has taught me many things, both about myself and the world. People express a sense of surprise when disaster strikes, yet here it is. But in my case, I don’t see this virus as a crisis. I see it as an opportunity to spend time with my family, learn more about myself and our world, and see what I can do to make our world a better place. 

I have learned that I am much more of an optimist than I thought. I am always looking for the good, and try to make the bad better. I acknowledge that bad things do happen, but would I rather remember this quarantine as this terrible time where everything was terrible, void of good in the world? No thanks. I’ve come to accept that quarantine is a temporary and necessary part of our lives. Yet time hasn’t stopped, and I can choose to make the best of it, even as it seems hard. If I look hard enough, I will always find the good, because I am sure it is everywhere.

Through quarantine I have caught myself thinking, “Why didn’t I do that?” or “What if I never get a chance to do that again because I was too scared to do it when I had the chance?” Well, I can’t change the past. The decisions I’ve made can’t be reversed now. So I’ve chosen to stop stressing about it. Maybe I’ll get another chance in the future. But there were many things I have had the opportunity to do, that others haven’t. So I am working on rejecting regret while embracing appreciation for the experiences I have had. 

The world may seem harsh and cruel at times. Sometimes it feels like it’s an ‘every man for himself’ world, but it really isn’t. We are all living a story. Perhaps we’re to focuses on the harshness of our circumstances while missing the amazing things. So many people have helped each other through this time. Because we are in this together, we can choose to help those who are truly affected by this. Helping them, in turn, helps us.

This moment in history has also provided time to explore new things. I have been baking a lot more. I made a lemon meringue pie, for goodness sakes! This has been a unique time to try new things. Trying new things has helped me identify who I am. 

The last thing that I hope to remember is the importance of my close friends. They have been on the phone with me throughout this experience, talking and texting, lighting up the dark like stars in the sky. As I write this, Chloe is on the phone with me. Though she can’t see me, she is right there with me, providing the boost to keep me going.

I hope that this letter helps you when that next trial arrives. Know that you’ve got this.

Love,

Your Past Self (Riley)