Creative Chaos: I met my 16-year-old self for coffee

Creative Chaos: I met my 16-year-old self for coffee

She was getting out of the 2001 Toyota Camry that she shared with her twin brother, who; was on his way to work at Dick's Sporting Goods. I ordered a lavender latte while she ordered a vanilla latte. She asked; What have we done?

I pulled her in for a tight hug, sat her down, and placed a box of Kleenex on the table. I told her that we are still terrible at handling money, that Mom's cancer has returned, and that she graduated during a worldwide pandemic. I told her that her sister is her best friend, not her brother. I shared that we have gained weight and sought help for our anxiety and depression and that while we still struggle with those issues, our asthma is now under control. At 16, we thought we had no idea who we were, and 10 years later, we are still figuring that out one day at a time. She was a very shocked to find out we graduated from Ohio University. At sixteen she was actively avoiding that school because of its party school reputation. I loved my time at OU and wouldn't trade it for the world. I told her that we would meet some of the most amazing people there. Our professors, John Grimwade, Tim Goheen, Gary Kirksey, and Julie Elman, friends Christina, Molly, Zoe, and the love of our life, Noah.

I asked her where she wanted to live after graduation. She said New York after she landed a job at the magazine she interned at over the summer in a tiny apartment shared with a roommate. I told her we actually moved to the South to support Noah's career while I figured out what I wanted to do. We started bartending because we had been badly burned by a PR agency and Newspaper. Bartending back in Ohio and Tennessee helped us think hard about what we wanted to do creatively and what type of companies we wanted to work for, not just a major brand or big-name company we see a job posting for on LinkedIn.

She asked me how we met Noah? Was it organic like we wanted? No, it was on a Hinge. Meeting men in Athens was like taking a high-difficulty 4000 level course. After being dumped, we spiraled out for quite a while and kept in touch with him for way too long to know his parents got divorced, she got remarried, plus he didn't pass his Nuclex. However, Noah makes us feel like the most beautiful woman in the world every day and loves how much we love Disney, fries, and margaritas. He's helped you discover so much about yourself, like how you don't want kids, at least not now. You both want to pay down student loans, travel, and have stories to share as we grow old together. He values everything we are. We couldn't ask for a better man!

She wanted to know how many mistakes we've made? I told her too many to count. I didn't study enough in high school and college, trusted the wrong people, did not take track seriously enough senior year, and didn't save all the graduation money for college. I tell her to listen to what mom has to say. Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself and respectfully give your opinion and save that graduation money! God gave you a voice for a reason. Listen to the people cheering you on, and delete that voicemail from your ex-bestie. She asked if we had lost more friends? I said yes, but it's all for the better. That boy we liked on the football team is still in college years after he should have graduated, so you dodged that bullet.

Are there any regrets when it comes to picking a job she asks? Yes, a few, the tanning salon, a PR agency, and a newspaper. Glassdoor is your friend. Read reviews of employees and people who have interviewed for them. You don't need to wear leggings to the Lululemon interview because the instructor is pregnant, and you don't end up doing the yoga class they usually do. Be sure of yourself and take time to prep for any interview you book because it shows when you are prepared. You have more skills than you think, especially, in Adobe, so pay attention in Photography class; Mr. Leussen knows what he's talking about and has so much faith in you and your potential; listen to him and ask questions.

Lastly, she asks, "Are we proud of ourselves?" This question takes me a while to mull over. I realize I am proud. I have made countless mistakes, faced heartbreak, and missed out on opportunities for which I worked incredibly hard. Despite it all, I still managed to pick myself up and dust myself off. So yes, we should be proud because the challenges and pain we've faced made us stronger and continues to fuel our drive to achieve more. You graduated college during a pandemic, found a remote job that allowed you to care for your mom, and worked various jobs that equipped you with new skills and connections. You are intelligent and wonderfully versatile about getting things done. No matter how far you fall, you always get back up, ready to conquer this ever-changing world and stay on top of it all.

I gave her another tight squeeze and told her the world is yours for the taking, so take as much or as little as you want.