TAW W4 A3: Letter from 8-year-old Alicia to me at 38

Week 4 assignment 3 September 17, 2009

Write a letter from me at 8 to me at 39… what would I tell myself… what were my favorite things…

1979 – I was 8 years old… 3rd or 4th grade… I loved my doll Natalie… my best friend was Val… I loved hanging with her when I was allowed outside to play… Josie would be turning 3 - - my brother would have been 9… I imagine I loved watching how happy Josie was ALL THE TIME and probably how envious and jealous I was because she got to have a childhood. She got to be free – innocent – have fun… she looked so happy – always smiling I can see her now in her little yellow dress always smiling – so cute… so much fun… its hard to remember being happy as a child… I don’t believe I was happy.

Dear Alicia,

Wow… you’re 38 years old… you’re a woman now… look at how tall you have grown. You look so different… you are beautiful… you have tons of books… ME I am still so skinny – you’re sooooooo lucky…

I have been reading a lot about your life in your blogs. You have had an interesting life… you have a daughter… wow – she’s really pretty. How did she get that good hair? I am 8 years old and Fabio is 9 – and little Josie is 3… I watch her a lot - - I take care of her and protect her. She is so cute~

What’s it like to be a woman…to be a mommy? I don’t think I will ever have children they look like a lot of work… and I don’t really like them.

So you’re a writer now? That’s really nice… I don’t have a favorite book… I don’t like to read –I like to write… I keep a diary… (in my mind I just drifted to a memory of when I wrote a letter to oprah… I wonder what was in that letter- - Ely was like 16 – me I was 14… 1985… jr. high school – I hated school – I must have written about how lonely and unhappy I was… I must have wrote how I was beat… I must have pleaded with oprah to come save me…to come help me...to take me out of my home. I remember the letter being many pages… purple paper…)

Are you happy? Do you ever feel like you want to escape? Will I like being an adult?
Lee I am so happy you are so successful and are doing what you love – I hope to have a full life like you. To fall in love - - to make all my dreams come true… I hope to one day be just like you… please write me back… Alicia

SIDE NOTE: THIS GOING BACK STUFF… CAN BE REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE…