Dear Adrian of 2024,
First of all, I want you to grab Billy and give him a big old kiss from me. He's my rock now, and I am sure he will continue to be well into the future. Here are a few things I truly hope for you. And by writing them now, I hope I am setting us up for success.
May you find much success with Revelry Beauty. Sure, you've had a taste of the Best of Weddings fame, but I want you to reach for more. Get your work published in a wedding magazine, or an online platform. Find a way to broaden your reach online, whether through Pinterest or some new, unknown site that will rocket to our attention in much the same way. I know you feel passionate about what you do, because it's our life's work to help women see their true beauty. Your way of achieving this is by enhancing their natural beauty and finding ways to make them feel better. Continue in this way.
May you gain the confidence and courage to pursue publication for your writing. Whether it be one of the novels you have completed, a work in progress, or some new story idea that is percolating in your brain somewhere. Believe in yourself, your ideas, your writing. Finish the stories. Edit them. Get feedback and find a platform to get them out there. Traditional publishing or self publishing, research it all and figure out what the best route will be. It's a lot of work, and you will have to stop second guessing yourself. It's a very scary thing to open yourself up to the debilitating fear and the very real possibility of rejection on many levels that pursuing this will bring, but you can do it. Please do it.
May you cherish and encourage your friendships. New and old, these friendships are your lifeblood. They fill you up when you're running low. They comfort you when you are sad. They lift you up when you get down. They celebrate with you. They are everything. Make sure they know how much you love, appreciate and respect them. Do everything to show them, rather than just tell them, because they are the kind of people who deserve it.
May you grow in your relationship with B. He is your rock, your soul mate, and your best friend. Find ways to preserve what you have, while cultivating a stronger connection and attraction. marriages take a lot of work, but you have shown over the last 10 years you have been together, that you are capable of handling it. Support him. Treasure him. Respect him. Do whatever it takes to make sure your relationship thrives. It's hard work being the provider, the head of the family, the strong one. Make sure he knows what a solid, rock star man he is. How much you love him. How special he is to you, and what he means to you. Which is everything. Be more than the trophy wife you joke about being. Work just as hard to make sure this life you have built together flourishes, and your relationship comes first. It's worth it.
May you be blessed with many fur babies. I don't want to consider that Sadie and Brisket, Hemi and Rush, have a limited amount of time to be a part of your life. That makes me sad, and I don't want to imagine not having them. But when that time inevitably comes, I hope you open your heart, and your home, to needy animals that got the short end of the stick in life. Make what they have left comfortable, and provide them with as much love as you can. They will love you unconditionally, as you should love them. And love the ones you have with much fervor and joy, now and always.
Oh, and work on your issues with ageing. If you are still claiming to be 28 in 10 years, then we have a bigger problem than I thought. Embrace each day, season, year, and make the most of them, even if they mean you are growing older.
Love always,
Addy of 2014