A letter to a teen
This letter and the answer to it were written to me in 1991 as you can see by the postmarks. The girl was distraught and needed some counciling. She was 16 years old at the time and I had been writing to her since she was 14. She attended a school I went to when I was her age:
Jan. 2, 1991
Dear John,
Hello. Just writing because I'm feeling like I'm out of my mind. Again, I didn't go to school. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know if I'm passing or failing and I'm going crazy!!
But this year, I want to change, though sometimes I don't think I can. I'm scared.
I wrote to you a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not sure if you had received your letter because you would have usually written to me by now. Maybe our letters will cross in the mail or it had gotten lost in the system.
I wish my bicycle was working, I feel like biking. It's the perfect day for it.
God, I need to get away from here for awhile. Just for a little while.
Your friend,
Crystal
Hello. Just writing because I'm feeling like I'm out of my mind. Again, I didn't go to school. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know if I'm passing or failing and I'm going crazy!!
But this year, I want to change, though sometimes I don't think I can. I'm scared.
I wrote to you a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not sure if you had received your letter because you would have usually written to me by now. Maybe our letters will cross in the mail or it had gotten lost in the system.
I wish my bicycle was working, I feel like biking. It's the perfect day for it.
God, I need to get away from here for awhile. Just for a little while.
Your friend,
Crystal
7 January, 1991
Dear Crystal,
I got your 2 January note here before me. I am surprised that you haven't received my 28 December letter before now. It was a three page letter and I also enclosed six pages of college listings in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. It cost me double the postage to mail it to you. Perhaps someone else in the family got it and doesn't want you seeing it. Anyway, I was waiting for a reply to that letter. Since it doesn't appear you got that letter, I'm also sending a copy of it to you with this letter. I can send you copies of the college listings again if you want, but I'm going to wait to see if you get this letter first.
I've made no resolutions this year, after all, I've already given up smoking, drinking and that other vice (which I won't mention here), so what little vices I have left, I intend to continue to indulge myself. Have you made any New Year's resolutions Crystal?
Your note seems to indicate your confusion of emotions fairly well. It would appear that you have gotten distracted from learning the subjects taught in class and that is why you are uncertain if you are passing or failing. I have no idea what may have turned you off on the learning process, but I sincerely hope that you can get your act back together soon. The education you are being exposed to during these years will stand you in good stead later on if you can absorb it. That will take a strong effort on your part. You and only you have control over that portion of your life.
Crystal, I know you are having a difficult time. Believe me when I say all teenagers have it rough during these years. You are trying to assert your independence from your parents which is normal. They are going to resist it because they want to protect you as long as they can. That's all the natural order of things, but I know it's hard to live with when you’re young. As you get older, or have children of your own, you will began to understand why parents have so many rules they want you to follow. I'm not trying to patronize you by saying this it's just a fact of life.
Write again soon Crystal and please don't be mad at me for sounding like a parent. I am one you know!
Your friend,
John
I got your 2 January note here before me. I am surprised that you haven't received my 28 December letter before now. It was a three page letter and I also enclosed six pages of college listings in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. It cost me double the postage to mail it to you. Perhaps someone else in the family got it and doesn't want you seeing it. Anyway, I was waiting for a reply to that letter. Since it doesn't appear you got that letter, I'm also sending a copy of it to you with this letter. I can send you copies of the college listings again if you want, but I'm going to wait to see if you get this letter first.
I've made no resolutions this year, after all, I've already given up smoking, drinking and that other vice (which I won't mention here), so what little vices I have left, I intend to continue to indulge myself. Have you made any New Year's resolutions Crystal?
Your note seems to indicate your confusion of emotions fairly well. It would appear that you have gotten distracted from learning the subjects taught in class and that is why you are uncertain if you are passing or failing. I have no idea what may have turned you off on the learning process, but I sincerely hope that you can get your act back together soon. The education you are being exposed to during these years will stand you in good stead later on if you can absorb it. That will take a strong effort on your part. You and only you have control over that portion of your life.
Crystal, I know you are having a difficult time. Believe me when I say all teenagers have it rough during these years. You are trying to assert your independence from your parents which is normal. They are going to resist it because they want to protect you as long as they can. That's all the natural order of things, but I know it's hard to live with when you’re young. As you get older, or have children of your own, you will began to understand why parents have so many rules they want you to follow. I'm not trying to patronize you by saying this it's just a fact of life.
Write again soon Crystal and please don't be mad at me for sounding like a parent. I am one you know!
Your friend,
John
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