http://futureme.org/

Dear Future Self:

How are you? I don't want to call you be a name because i have no idea what you would prefer to be called by. yr still deciding between jd stokely and mali hopper and damali jackson now.. who knows what else youve come up with? today is yr 20th bday. when you wrote this letter, you were still a young, bright-eyed 19 yr old, reminiscing on yrs past, and anticipating what the future will hold for you.

did you have a good 2nd semester? i hope so. you deserve it. hopefully you are living in some faraway city with friends, not at home in boston. if you are lucky then you are preparing yrself for a summer of fun in europe somewhere. if you do go to london, make sure to go see the noisettes. if you go to france, then try to get involved in some sort of theater of the oppressed group over there.

how is yr family? try to find a way to see yr father and yr gramma b. i know how much y ou care abt them- you think abt them often. do you have a passport yet? i hope so. how abt a driver's license? you can even start slow- get a permit first!

enough chit chat though. you and i both know the real reason i wrote you this letter. for me, it is new yrs eve. soon it will be 2009; a new yr means a fresh start. this yr i didnt want to make resolutions or goals. it makes me feel kind of anxious and frustrated when i dont get them accomplished (how long has "lost 20 lbs" been a resolution? come on!) instead, i decided to try something new. i decided to try affirmations. below is a list of some of the affirmations you came up with, and hopefully this will serve you as a reminder of the good intentions you put out into the world on dec 31, 2008.

- you are a pretty awesome individual. this sounds weird but it is always nice to hear it sometimes. don't be so nervous all the time! you are throwing yrself into new environments which can make you critical of yrself.. how do ppl see me ? but just remember that yr a total cool kid.

- when you are passionate abt something, you set out goals and then accomplish them. do you remember the black history month show? what abt action awareness week? or the summer internship, or even struggling to get through the 1st semester of yr 2nd yr... that was hard but you did them all. now think of all the things that you can still accomplish, and probably have already in 2009! the possibilities are endless.

- it is never too late to be the person you always wanted to be. i know youve definitely felt stifled this yr. you came to hampshire with plans. and sure, you obvs wont be the same grrl you were in hs- thats definitely for the better. but maybe youll get a couple steps closer to being the type of person you want to grow up to be. yr always gonna be growing up, yr never fully grown! there's always time for change.

- do what makes you happy. these are so totally cliche. but its true!!! dont forget, you love collaging and dancing in yr underwear and putting on crazy makeup and writing letters playing dress up and reading and going on bike rides and taking pictures and singing in the shower. that stuff can always take yr mind off of things when yr feeling stressed out.

- yr body is healthy and beautiful!!

- i appreciate that you don't feel the need to have material goods. you have what you need- everything else weighs you down!

- you are intelligent and constantly growing intellectually. keep it up. pick up a book on a new subject once in a while! keep striving to learn and grow.

- you are genuine. that is one of my fav things abt you- yr openness to making real connections with ppl. dont let the fakeness of hampshire get you down, and dont get caught in any webs of drama and lies. you dont need that, esp romantically. yr honesty is yr charm! dont let go of it.

well, that's all i can think of for now. have an amazingly wonderful birthday, my darling dear! do what makes you happy today, and suround yrself with ppl you love.

best,
jd stokes.
(damali ayida)
[m. hopper]