Friday, January 20, 2006

Times change...

"May 14, 2001
Dear Joanna Kay,
Goodness I cannot imagine me reading this at the elder age of 23! YUCK I am old! I don't want to be old. Am I still afraid of turning thirty? BOO!...
...Have I gotten married yet? I always thought I would be married now with maybe a baby a long the way? I want five children... Have I bought a DVD player yet? I really don't want to have to buy all my movies again on DVD but I probably did. If I have any cute clothes or my VCR or something KEEP THEM! My children will probably love them when they are teenagers. Gosh, I just can't believe my prime is almost over. Boo! I am sorry I am probably making myself go into a mid-life crisis!... I demand that I not be a loser. Okay? Now, I love you! It's okay that you are old... Good luck!"

So what's this, you're wondering? It's a letter I wrote myself five years ago that my English teacher Mrs. Hughes wrote me. It's pretty pathetic. It makes me think a lot and makes me sad. Not sad like cry your eyes out sad but sad I had such different priorities in life.

Plus, it doesn't make me happy that fiesty 18 year old Joanna thinks 23 year old Joanna is old. Um, excuse me?!

Ha ha!! The people who I wrote about, who were important to me have changed and I wonder if that is my fault or just a part of life. I don't know what to think about this letter.. part of me is saddened by it but part of me just knows that I was different then.

I never thought I would be in Japan... that's for sure.

This letter was a good idea, even though I am different now. It's like a visit with an old friend...

hmmmm.....

6 comments:

Kelli B said...

That is interesting. It's fun to read what you once wrote, who you were just 5 years ago! Wow. So much changes over the years.

I think that's just it - change is bound to happen. We cant stop it. It's like God weeds out the old desires and fills it with the new. He takes out stuff and puts stuff in. He takes people out, and puts new people in. Some things never change.

Hmm. Your letter has made me pensive today! :)

Anonymous said...

Alot HAS changed! That's good! This weekend I am in FL. The last time I was here was on Spring Break, 2002 with you. Time does march on; people and places do change...it is all part of God's plan for us. Some is easier to accept than others...but Jesus walks through it all hand-in-hand with you...never forget that! Road-tripping makes me miss you today. That was always one of my favorite things to do. Until the next time...
your mom

Anonymous said...

Well, Joanna, I've spent a lot of time evaluating your website and silently critiquing your wit and humor as well as the appeal to your intended audience and the general public as well.

After weeks of exhaustive research, I've decided that you are, without a doubt, the coolests and smartest sister in our family.

Congrats.

Anonymous said...

I mean "coolest", not "coolests".

Angie said...

my english teacher made us do that senior year. mine made me sad too. my reaction was kind of the same; instead of being glad that my worldview is more mature, i was sad at how naive i was before. don't let yourself get you down!

Ed said...

Memories of my High School English teacher bring me sharp pangs of guilt and prayers for her greater rewards (with a big, shiny crown) in the life to come - due to my assinine resistance to any kind of serious thinking under her care.

I never allowed her to provoke me to consider the future, beyond how to torture her in the next five minutes of class.

But had she succeeded, I could never have dreamed that I would one day be a father to this pretty, witty, honery, spunky, brave, clear-headed, brown-eyed, webbed-toed, joy-filled, bouncing, laughing, beguiling, sensitive, thoughtful and totally-alive little girl of mine...

She reminds me of her Mom ... and keeps me thinkng of what I want to continue to be.