Letter to my future self
Remember me apart from my mistakes
Dear future Shameer,
Thank you for the letter. I appreciate the advice you have given me. I know I haven’t been the model citizen. I have continued to make more mistakes as we continue in life.
I can say one of my constant companions despite everything is my wife Jassi. I hope I have not made the mistake that allows me to lose her in the future. She is my life partner, best friend, and off course the kick I need to stay the course into the future that’s better for me and my family.
As you know, this past year hasn’t been easy for me. I know what you are thinking, “stop complaining you idiot”. I know, and I agree. However, emotional psychology is way beyond my understanding. I have struggled, and I have been a little depressed from time to time.
Truth be told, I don’t have anything to complain about really. I have an amazing family. I have a great job. I’m not worried about being kicked out to the curb or being homeless. I’m not worried about going into work every day taking care of the dying like our medical professionals are. I’m not living in a war zone like the Palestinians are.
What do I have to worry about? Why did I feel depressed time to time? Doesn’t make sense does it? Does mental health ever make any sense?
What I have learned in the past year is that mental health is not dependant on your wife/husband. It isn’t dependant on your job or colleagues. It isn’t dependant on your parents. It isn’t dependant on vaccines, the virus, or even the global pandemic. The happiest times I’ve ever had are the ones where I chose to be happy.
Read that one again. The happiest times I’ve ever had, are the ones where I chose to be happy. No one has the power to give you, or take away, your happiness without your permission. No one.
The best way for you to choose to be happy is to be thankful for the littlest things. Jassi cooked one of my favourite dishes today. She hates it, but I love it. I’m thankful she is willing to cook it despite the fact she hates it, because she cooks it better than I do.
She also cooked two of my favourite desserts in the past week. I love it how I can truly be happy with the littlest things. I am thankful to her. I am thankful to the creator for what I have.
Last, but not least Shameer. Forgive me for the mistakes I’ve made and/or are about to make. I don’t know, what I don’t know. I have to make decisions from a place of thankfulness. Never from a place of fear. Fear will not make me happy. It will only keep me poor and destitute.
I’m imagining I’m living in the house of our dreams for my growing family. I’m imagining I have a lot more to be thankful for. I’m imagining that my kids are starting to dream big. How right am I. Did I take the right actions to make these predictions come true? If so, you are welcome. You know you couldn’t have done it without me.
So Shameer, just in case you are going through another 2020. Remember this, be thankful for the little favours, as they might be leading you to a much better life. You just don’t see how yet.
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
Steve Jobs
Stay happy,
Shameer of 2021