Eight year old self

A friend of mine posted an old school photograph on Facebook the other day. Mr Boyd’s Grade 3 Class. I was eight years old, and terribly in love with Natasha C (I won’t put her last name on here) and it made me think, knowing what I know now. If I could go back and give advice to my eight year old self, what would I say. Other than the most obvious things most people would do such as invest in companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, basically the ‘internet’ in general. I’d tell myself that if I wanted to be that Architect that I dreamed of being when I was young, that hard work would enable me to become one. Computer technology is the future – more so than the commodore 64 computer and that video game design is a ‘job’ in the future with more advanced graphics than our Atari!

I’d tell my young self that family is the most important thing in life. I’m blessed with a good one, and that true friends are the ones who will drive five hours to be by your side. That ‘friend’ in particular I should tell them how I really feel before the opportunity passes forever. I’d tell my young self to appreciate and take more time with my family members especially my grandparents as they won’t be around forever. Be ‘sponge’ like around my grandfather as his knowledge is by far the most plentiful you’ll ever experience for a long long time, and his knowledge is free and from the best source of all love.

But most of all I’d tell my young self not to be afraid of the feelings I had for girls. That there’s nothing wrong with liking your best friend who’s a girl, and that society will be much more supportive of its gay citizens in the future.


After this ‘advice’ I think I’d like to visit my grandparents and know them as the adult I am today, spend time with them when they where ‘young’ but most of all – I’d tell my parents that whilst life was at times very financially strapped for them they did a wonderful job with their two children and they will go on to be successful. Though I’d probably stop at letting them know their son is a successful Doctor who is happily married with kids. And their daughter – she’s finally following her dreams of writing, perhaps she’ll never pay the bills with it, but at least she can say she achieved it.

So for those reading this - I ask you to write an entry on what you'd tell your eight year old self with the knowledge you have at this very moment in your life. Send me a link, I'd love to read it.