Think of an important period of your life. Write a letter to your past self who is living through that period of your life.
Hey Ahmed! This is the future you writing! How's it going? Wait; scratch that - stupid question. I know how it's going. You're nine and your life is being flipped on its head, which is why I thought I would write you this letter to help you get through this, and sort of be like the bigger brother we never had.
Your life has been pretty good up to this point, hasn't it? Two parents who seem like they've never seen a child before; who love you so much that they can barely contain themselves, who shower you with toys. You've led a spoiled existence, haven't you? You even found friends who you can relate to, who seem to be maturing at the exact same rate as you. Whenever you stop liking one thing and move on to your next obsession, it seems like they are right there with you. Trust me, you don't know it yet, but you guys are going to be friends for life. Even though you're going to move halfway across the world and only see each other in the summer, you're still going to have them to meet up with.
Which brings us to the matter at hand. Your parents have decided that you and your mom are going to move to Pakistan so you can get to know your roots. It seems like they're trying to undo all they did for the past nine years, doesn't it? You're fine here in Baltimore, but no, you can't stay anymore. They can't let you be happy for a full decade!
I know how you're feeling right now, wait sorry, scratch that again, I REMEMBER how you're feeling. Sorry, it's the first time I've written a letter to myself that was going to transcend time and space, so just bear with me here. Look, it's not going to be as bad as think it's going to be. In fact, you're going to end up spending some of the best years of your life here, and don't worry, you're never going to forget the city you grew up in. Plus, your parents must have some reason for wanting to raise you here, right? I would have told you that reason right now, but truthfully; I haven't figured it out myself yet. I'm hoping a letter from my own future-self can enlighten me on that one.
You're going to have cousins and friends who will be just as, if not more, close to you than your current ones. You're going to see new places, have adventures, and live a completely different life! I know that may not sound very appealing right now, but few people ever get this sort of opportunity. I'd tell you about these epic adventures, but I don't want to give the story of your life away before you even get to experience it. Trust me, everything will be fine. In fact, better than fine. Just take two deep breaths, and go.
