Letter
In the tradition of Boy Abunda’s magic mirror where you have a chance to talk to yourself, I’ll put a spin to that and write my 12-year old self a letter:
Dear Kay,
Yes, I spelled your name right because that’s how you always spelled it. It won’t be after you watched Julie Yap Daza’s Feng Shui episode on People that you decided to add an “e” to your name. That was a good move because I thought the new spelling suits us perfectly.
Anyway, can you believe that you’ll reach the ripe old age of 36 – intact? I’d say we did a pretty good job growing up in the right direction. From a shy, skinny girl with really bushy eyebrows from Angeles City, you’ll find yourself here in the US, living the American dream. Most of all you live it with dignity. Juan Tamad will be very proud.
But that’s getting ahead of myself. Let’s back track a little 
and listen to my two cents worth. Kay, don’t forget that you’re only 12 so learn to relax. You take yourself too seriously. You study way too hard to stay in the honor roll. In high school, you’ll fight tooth and nail for the highest rank and make enemies (or so you thought) with the sunshine girl from Lourdes Elementary. You’ll go home crying after a deliberation session because she outranked you with all her stupid Girl Scout badges. Afterwards, you’ll send her dagger looks and avoid her like the plague. You may not believe me but Suzette will be one your best friends on your last year of high school and you’ll continue to be friends with her to this day.
At 12, you stopped playing with your toys and started acting like a lady. Don’t! You’ll have plenty of time to be a lady. You read too many Mills&Boon romance books and day dream far too much about finding your true love. And don’t be so self-conscious about being skinny, sending a wish to the stars to gain weight. You’ll gain plenty of weight, believe me. Stop thinking you’re ugly. Your sisters may be prettier than you but you’ll break hearts a-plenty. Sure you’ll have your heart broken too, many, many times. You’d be the drama princess that you are and think that you’ll surely die from a serious heartbreak. Soon enough, you’ll find the right man for you who will love you more than life itself and who will take care of you.
Most of all don’t fret too much about the future. Just take each day at a time and BE. It’s going to be a good life.
Older version of me,
Kaye
