What you call the disease, I call the remedy. What you're callin' the cause, I call the cure.

It may not seem like seven years is a lot of time, but going from you to me has taken a life time. We're the same person, sure-same long curly hair, same 5 foot frame, even the same gap toothed smile. But so much has happened since 16 it's hard to even believe that they happened to you, happened to me.

The change is good though-it doesn't have to be a bad thing. There have been lots of friends moving in and out of your life, while you moved from one apartment, school, relationship to the next. And that's ok! It's taken a lot to get to where you are, and even more to get to where I am.

You are just beginning what will be the longest three years you can possibly conceive. It's going to start off fun, no doubt you'll enjoy the parties and the people and the excitement of it all, but it doesn't stay that way long. I wish I could tell you to avoid it, but you won't listen, just as I certainly never did. You'll pull out of the tailspin eventually, with only minor cosmetic casualties-you'll be sick-skinny and pale, both of which are temporary, luckily with all your teeth in tact and no visible scars. And not to sound corny, but it's the inside that will take a beating. Luckily for you, with a lot of work, you'll come out on the other side.

No longer the rambunctious party girl, you'll settle into a nice, quiet life. No closing down bars, no blackouts, no random guys and girls crowding your life. At the ripe old age of 23, it'll be holding a full time job, going to school and being up at 5:30 every morning to make it to the gym on time. It may sound monotonous, or even boring, but trust me, after what you put your body through, you'll be happy, grateful in fact, to be in safe in bed, at 10pm. I promise.

Just be careful. It's in the chemical make-up of teenagers to be naive, what with missing your frontal lobe and all, but try and listen. It could have been so much worse. I shouldn't be here right now, there should be no 23 year old me talking to 16 year old you. We lucked out on more occasions than I like to admit and those are the reasons I'm me, so vastly different from you.

Quiet and calm with barely any hint of the dramatics that characterized your life and seem to be the only reaction you have. Enjoy it while you can, but remember that everything changes. Going through those changes will be hell on earth, but coming out the other side will make it more worth it than you could possibly know.

Written in response to Flicker of Inspiration #5 Write a Letter to 16 year old you on the Lightening and the Lightening Bug.