Dear Laura,

Dear Highschool Laura Lea,

Living through the things you’re going to live through are literally going to rock your world. Now I won’t tell you how & I won’t tell you why. But I will encourage you to stay strong.

Your family does love you. But you have to stop judging them. So maybe they don’t go to church and they don’t act the way they should. Judging them isn’t going to win them over to Christ. Loving them will. I guarantee, when you start loving, they will start understanding.

Don’t aggravate your sister by flickering the lights when she asks you to stop. She really does have a headache. In fact, she took 15 Tylenols that morning so she wouldn’t have to deal with annoying & stupid crap like that anymore. Don’t ever stop telling you that you love her. Please. Because one day, it’s going to be too late. She’s going to call you names and she’s going to tell you that she hates you. But she doesn’t. She really loves you. Don’t ever doubt it.

When your mom breaks her leg and goes to the hospital, go with her.. Yes, I know a broken leg is nothing, but in two days when her heart stops & she isn’t breathing any more, you’re going to wish you weren’t so selfish and went to love her. She really does love you, don’t wait until it’s too late to realize that. It’s going to be hard. Going prom. Having your first REAL boyfriend, graduation, everything is going to be hard. But always rememebr she has front row… to everything.

After your moms death, your dad isn’t going to be the same anymore. Don’t hold that against him. He’s trying, he really is. Stop telling him that you hate him. Stop walking all over him. Never ever stop praying for him. Because the day when he comes around, the day that he truly surrenders his life to the Lord, is the day not only angels are singing, but your heart will be too.

That ole’ boy that you are dating will teach you a lot. A lot about who you are as a person, and a lot about what kind of guy you want to give a piece of yourself too.  At the time, your world may seem perfect, but you will soon realize that God has more planned for your life than you had planned for yourself. So get that crazy idea of getting married the second he turns 18 out of your head, because I promise you’re much happier without him. You will soon realize that happiness doesn’t come from within men, but within yourself. Don’t ever look back and regret that relationship with him, surprisingly he taught you a lot. Enough to the point where you can encourage other highschool girls.

Being popular is nothing, especially in a class that has 19 people in it. Stop trying to win the approval of your peers. Getting drunk every night of the week will do nothing for you except make you look like a loser. Yes I said it, a loser. Posting  pictures on MySpace of you holding a beer doesn’t even make you look cool. The hangovers will get old. Waking up not knowing where you are will one day get old too. Those people aren’t really your friends. I promise, the second you stop drinking is the second they will stop coming around. It’s not worth it.
Mrs. Wilson doesn’t hate you, she’s just tired of you talking back and never doing your work. Show her respect. Show all of your teachers respect. They believe in you, that’s why they are there every single day. College isn’t easy, you’re going to wish you were back in high school, trust me.

Hold your best friend tight, don’t take advantage of your friendship. Eventually, you two are both going to do completely different things in life. She will find a new best friend and so will you. It may be hard to watch her get hurt by the same guy over and over again, but walk with her through it. Don’t just leave her.

Your life is nothing like you planned or ever hopped it would be. But, I’ll tell you one thing. I would never change anything that I’ve gone through. It made me the person that I am today.

Don’t forget to believe in yourself. God takes you through some wild rides, but it’s a great ride & knowing that the Savior of your life takes the seat right next to you… That makes it totally worth it.

Love, Your 19 year old self.