Thank you for being the best sister possible, in every way. You are so smart and kind and thoughtful and creative, but that is not why you are the best to me. You are the best because of the way you see the world, and the way you inspire me and everyone else. You are the best because of the love that seems to shine around you like a glowing aura, and the love that ties us together as the closest of sisters!

I am writing this in an inordinately serious tone, which normally I would not require because our ties are so close. But sometimes, this is needed as a source of fonder memories or as token of affection. Now, we know that tokens are not important and usually do not waste our time on them, but just bear with me a little longer while I finish this letter.

Since you always feel the need to be extraordinarily humble, I feel that I should make it clear how amazing you really are. You are the most intelligent person who I really know, but also so kind as to help other whenever they need. You are also probably the most artistic person I know personally. I would ask you to teach me how to make abstract art but I would probably have no ability to learn. But with you would likely find a way to teach me because you are so smart and the best teacher I know.

Sometimes I feel that I have become your second version, since I aspire so much to everything you do. But each time I do this, you are so kind as to remind me that I am my own person, thus sparking my individuality. What more could a sister ask for? A role model, but one that inspires creativity, and a sense of self? 

Promise me that we will go off on an island one day and own 100 cats. But since you’re so amazing in every way, I guess you have already fulfilled your promise in another way!

Love,

Melissa

This is you from four years in the future. I want to say that you will be fine and everything will work out properly. However, if I could go back in time, of course I would tweak several things that I did because no one is perfect.

First, since you are dedicated on furthering your academic career, let me give some tips. Try to focus on something that you like. I see that you are interested in computer science; feel free to explore other things, but since I am double majoring in this, I think that you should focus on it. I actually became distracted and did not work on computer science for around 2 years (junior and some of senior year), so use this time to become better at it. Also, since I am double majoring in math, I advise you to skip pre-calculus because I did not learn too much in that class and you will have more time to take more interesting, higher level classes in the future. Something extremely important to remember is that you have choice over what you want to do; don’t listen to others or yourself who say you can’t do something. If you want something, work at it and you can achieve anything you want (I am honest). Even if you don’t think you ever could, you will still be closer than if you didn’t try, and would learn a lot in the process.

But I forget that you have not experienced the same things I did and therefore probably do not share the same sentiment of “focusing”. Thus I will emphasize something you can easily understand: please realize that time is so precious. I believe you already sort of think this, but you still feel you have all the time in the world. You don’t and the clock is already ticking as you read this. I do not mean to stress you, but I want to again make it clear that time is your most precious resource, so try to use it wisely. I still have issues with time management so I think that a younger version of me would be able to fix these issues by the time she is my age.

Also, do not stress excessively over things. I know that you do not get stressed too easily, but when you do, it be excessive. Also, try to be kind to others as this will make you feel better about yourself in the future. Also, never lose sight of who you are and your identity; this is one thing I think I have fully succeeded on, and I hope you do too.

Best of Luck,

Melissa

It is too early for me to determine exactly what I will do in the next four years. I hope, for example, that I can stick with my plan, but I might realize that my passions lie elsewhere. However, I hope my current planned future will play out, as it seems quite appealing and it honestly what I want the most right now.

I also hope I can live with my sister for the rest of my life. I am not sure if she will agree to come with me, but I think she will. We will also adopt at least ten cats along with my sister’s current cat, Sapphire, who will be the leader of the rest. 

In fact, although I am not exactly sure what I will do, there are some things of which I am quite certain. Something that I am sure about (and that I will always be sure about) is that I will never have human children. I will always be single as this is my ideal state. However, I will have many cats and this is for certain.

My main plans for the future are to learn as much as I possibly can about mathematics and computer science so I will be able to conduct exciting research in it. This is really vague as of now, but my plans for the future are generally rather unclear. However, what is clear is that I will always be open to learning more and acquiring more knowledge.

At night I run by quaint village houses.

Wind dances, twirling past me as I fly.

Golden lanterns lead my way in darkness.

I flit free as whirling moths in the sky. 

I reach a market square of cobblestone.

Loaves of warm, fresh bread lie tender in row.

Carts of honeyed oranges pile high

Like pyramids in the dim amber glow.

There is a dark and shining lake in black.

One half reflects blinking city lights,

The other, a moon rising from its dream.

I soar to moonlight to the hill in sight.

The stars blur as strokes of quicksilver paint,

Hidden in the soft fabric of the night.

In that canvas, the song of a white orb

Lulls me into faded reverie light.
---
Awake
Once by the old cogs in steel meadows,

There lived a man who worked in shadows.

He toiled and toiled day after day,

But wherever he looked misfortune lay.

The mighty basked like haughty kings,

Glowering over the man with nothing.

Yet common to both were contemplating minds,

Caught in solitude with no unwind.

He thought he was impervious to time,

For he never heard a single chime.

But out of discontent he looked night by night,

For the purposeful but abstract light.

The man, now withered, worn, and old,

Still seeking, though no form had taken hold,

Thought, how ludicrous is all of this!

Yet consciously, he continued searching the abyss.

Here lay the dried old bones of the old man,

As do the once great figures.

Equals they were once, awake and aware.

And again, descended into the chaos of death.