Not many people know this, but one of the most profound experiences of my life was when I met an older version of myself, and she gave me some good advice. So in honor of that, a hacked meme…

Things I already said to an 11-year-old me (paraphrased, because I don’t remember exactly what I said or will say):

You are strong enough to survive anything. Don’t let them beat you down.

I know it was rough, but you made the right decision to walk away. Violence never solves anything…it only creates more violence.

Cool is a state of mind. Those girls think they are cool, but to me they seem pretty stupid and immature. You seem much cooler for what you were able to do.

Yeah, it sucks that you lost your bookbag and your bus pass, and that you have to walk home, but isn’t it a beautiful day, and don’t you just love the Pacific, and aren’t we having fun talking.

Don’t I have a cool house? You don’t know it yet, but the style is Gothic Victorian, and it is something you will love for the rest of your life.

I’d love to go ice-skating with you, but when you come back to try to find me this weekend it will be like I never existed because I’m really you from the future, and I just needed to be here today to tell you these things because I knew it will be important to us.