One must learn to love oneself with a wholesome and healthy love, so that one can bear to be with oneself and need not roam.
– Friedrich Nietzsche, German classical scholar and philosopher (1844-1900)

Contributed by Erin Glenn, Managing Editor of Exchange Press.

In yesterday’s EED, you read Mike Browne’s letter to himself as a young child. As we discussed the sharing of his words, Mike had the lovely idea of inviting Exchange community members to write (and possibly share) their own letters, as well.

So today we make the invitation to pause and reflect, with yourself as the beneficiary, and write a letter, a note, a poem, a little or a lot…to yourself as a young child.

It might feel bittersweet, to reach back through time to that young person. It asks for a little space and time, and a softness of heart. It is an opportunity to let our shoulders drop down, take a breath, and see what arises.

I hope you give yourself the gift of taking Mike up on his invitation. A letter to your younger self. It doesn’t have to be a life-changing missive, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just look at that sweet kid — and share with them, from where you are right now.

If this appeals to you, and you do write, and you’d like to share it with the Exchange community, know that we would be honored to read and share your voice.

We are a community of voices, experiences, passions, and action. We all have a young child inside. We work together in service of all young children, including that one.