A Letter to Me

In a couple of weeks, my High School Cheerleading Squad will be holding an Alumni Fundraiser and they are asking that all past cheerleaders send in pictures and memories of when they were cheered.

As I was collecting old pictures from my cheerleading days, my heart was filled with great memories. I was reminded of the Brad Paisley song called "Letter to Me" and I thought it might be fun to write a letter to me...at seventeen.

Letter to Me (The Leslie Edition)

Um. First of all, you are not fat or ugly. Stop it, stop it right now!  You have nothing to prove to anyone at all.  Why should you!?  YOU ARE 17!!!!!  Do you realize how stinkin' easy your life is right now?  Your parents pay for everything!  You have a job and spend your pay check on hair products and cute tops!

Please do me a huge favor and just laugh and be a kid-I will thank you later.
Dang! Aren't all those Rowan County boys cute!? You sure will kiss a lot of those sweet faces but... they aren't the one.  You won't meet "him" til college.  17 year old boys are super cute but their attention doesn't determine your worth....although.. I understand that it does help sometimes.


Stop focusing on it so much.

(ps: Between you and me- they all grow up, lose their hair and gain weight...and so do you. Looks are nowhere near important.)

Go learn to play an instrument-maybe something fancy like the cello. Read more books-and might I suggest books on tape-it really helps with our comprehension issue.

Take initiative with your school work.  Look, we know we aren't rocket scientists and that is not the point.  Talk to your teachers-they are not scary!  They are actually real life human beings that like you and want you to succeed. Go talk to them!  Ask for help-they crave it!  Get this-they once had a burning passion in their hearts for students to ask for their help... they are tired and often wonder what they were thinking when they wanted to be a teacher... restore their hope and ask for help!

Oh my gosh, Leslie.....this is a big one!  You won't believe it until you see it...  the internet.

I just. I can't explain it... just be ready.

Write this one down: Nothing that you do in High School to be popular makes one lick of difference the exact minute you walk across the stage with your diploma.  You will never-ever, not once, see anyone wearing their High School letter-man jacket to college.
Like, for real.

Practice playing second fiddle.  This is a life lesson we may never learn, but try to give others all the credit!  Help others.  Just help them.  Smile and say hi to people you don't know.  Invite people that you don't know to sit with you at lunch and stick up for those who are being picked on.  You may think that by not saying anything-you are innocent..but your silence makes you just as guilty.

Do not get wrapped up in drama.  It's stupid and embarrassing.   Don't.


Hug Holley Russell-tight.

Verbally say thank you to Tammy Nielson, Matt and Heather Bays, Eddie Lundergan, Kris Alderman, Roberta Early, and Alice Payton-- what they have done for you, has made a difference.  You are becoming a better person because of their influence.


Spend more time with your siblings.  Invite them into your life-show them what being a teenager looks like and give them advice!  They are watching you and even if she refuses to do anything you say, your sister is actually listening...she is just strong willed.  Keep laughing at your brother...he is slightly irritating but...get this.. you name your son after him and he turns out just like him!


Lastly, mom and dad are uber strict for a reason.  Yeah- it's not cool but it's not supposed to be.  Let's face it, we are in bed at dark-what do we need a curfew for anyway!?  Listen to everything mom and dad say -it's okay to roll your eyes, they don't expect you to agree..the most hilarious thing about it is, in  a matter of years, your mouth will open and everything they said will come out !

You are doing great-you have great friends and wonderful people around you.  They are shaping you! The awesome news is...I have been to the future...and I can tell you, your best days are ahead of you!

Go.Fight.Win!

Cheers

Me