Dear Tahlia,

When your mom asked us to write you a letter for your 13th birthday, I thought “uh oh…” what kind of wisdom can I pass on to you. Let me think back to when I was in my early teenage years…when I was 15, you were just born and not even 1 year old yet. I’ll never forget coming to Taiwan to visit you and holding you when you were just a baby.

Story time!

The teenage years for me were a mix of fun times but a lot of emotional times. It was especially difficult for reasons I could not control. I suffered from very bad acne with lots of pimples all over my face. (sorry if I grossed you out!) This problem really affected my self-esteem and confidence. I was scared to go out in the public and always thought that everyone was looking at me. Grandma and Grandpa would buy a lot of things like expensive facial products and herbal medicine to help but nothing worked.

It stretched all throughout my teenage years, even into high school. There were kids at school that would laugh and made fun of me, and I thought it would affect me for the rest of my life. But… eventually, it improved and I no longer suffer from what I thought was a curse. What I would tell myself at the age of 13 would be – there will be things in life that you cannot control, and to only focus on what you can. There will be many obstacles in life, many of which are ones that you cannot control. Had I stopped worrying about what other people thought of me for reasons I could not control, I would have been much happier and more willing to experience new things.

Another thing I would tell myself is that family is everything, and no matter what it always comes first. These are things I wish I could go back in time and tell myself. But I know them now! So, there you have it. Happy 13th birthday Tahlia! I hope that this piece of advice can help you through the rollercoaster that is the teenage years. It really does feel like a rollercoaster at times, but these next 7 years are also some of the most fun you will have – so go enjoy it!

Love,Uncle Edward

Uncle Edward