A (2nd) Letter to Me

Dear Lindsey at 12,

You don't know it yet, but your life is about to change drastically. In a few months you and your family will pack up and move far away from the only life you have ever known. You will leave your friends, your school, and the only church you can remember being a part of and move to Montana. Yes, I know you don't even know where that is (where were you on that day of geography class?), but let me fill you in: it's very cold. You will meet people who are nothing like those you grew up around. This will shock you. You will soon discover that there is a world of characters who don't think or speak or look like those you knew in little Columbia, TN.

I'm asking you to be patient. One day you will realize that this was an important time. No, you won't live there forever. In fact, in the scheme of things, you won't really live there very long. But these are important years. You will even start to act like a Westerner in a lot of ways. You will learn how to be very honest and how to accept the honesty of others. You will learn to be tough. You will learn to be self-sufficient. You will learn to not wear your heart on your sleeve, and just trust me here, that's going to help you in the future more than you realize.

Never forget that this is not your parents' decision. They are following the will of God, and that is for the best of every one. They deserve your respect. As hard as this is on you, you can't imagine all they gave up for this move. They will leave a thriving church and a promising career to go where God sends them (and your whole family) and that is honorable.

Soon you will have to start a new school, and it will be rough. You will make a few friends, but you will feel lonely a lot of the time. I hate to break it to you, but your going to be the target of a lot of people's insecurity. You will be bullied relentlessly, by not only peers, but teachers as well. Honestly, I can't give you a good reason why they pick you. Yes, you're an easy target (told you you'd end up being brutally honest.) You don't talk like the other kids. You don't look like the pretty girls all the boys like. You are uncoordinated and feel lost most of the time. But none of that is a good reason for the hurtfulness you will encounter. Only know that this mistreatment will develop you into a bright, sharp, quick witted woman, and then the joke will most certainly be on your enemies.

You will be labeled as very ordinary-but that is a lie. Here is a truth I want you to learn very early: people keep you down not because you aren't great, but because the light in you exposes their inadequacies. You will be mocked because they know that if you recognized your greatness, you would put them to shame. Don't be a victim. Remember who you are. These sad creatures only identity is that they have to pick on others to make themselves feel better. It's really sad if you think of it.

You are talented, you are intelligent, you possess wisdom. Some day you will find out just how "ordinary" your bullies really were, while you make something of yourself. These people will try and suppress your voice, but the day will come when people ALL AROUND THE WORLD read about your opinions. Crazy, huh? When that day comes, don't be arrogant, it has nothing to do with you, God is with you. He has always been with you and He will always be with you. He will be with you when you leave your friends. He will walk with you when the bullies follow you down the hall harassing you. He will speak life in you when you just want to give up. Don't let go.

Love,
Lindsey Schreiber (yeah, that's right, you're gonna get married someday! And have a kid! let that sink in)