On behalf of our first ever Saturday Posse Party I would like to welcome Pattie Lee to the Owning Pink stage. Pattie is a first-time guest blogger for the website, but a frequent dazzling Pinkie within the community. Her presence has never ceased to place a smile on my face. Follow her on Twitter get ready to chuckle -- her wit gets me every time. Thanks for being with us Pattie and for sharing what inspired you and so many others.

My sister introduced me to a blog assembled by Cassie Boorn that's made up of letters from women to their 20 year-old selves. Each letter is touching and incredible in its own way. And as my, ahem, 2nd annual 39th birthday approaches I have been thinking back on where I was then, looking hard at where I am now, and wondering where I'm going to be in the future.

So, what do you say to your 20 year-old self?

Dear You,

Yeah, it’s me. I’m about three months away from celebrating our second annual 39th birthday. Yes, I’m calling it that… mostly because our 39th birthday was pretty frickin’ lame. There’s nothing you can do about it though, so start planning now to celebrate 39 a second time and try to do it up big.

With that said, I’m not sure what to say to you. I keep having flashes of Diane Court in Say Anything giving her valedictorian speech when she says, “I’ve glimpsed our future and all I can say is, GO BACK.” I’m not saying it sucks here on the brink of a new decade of life, but from where you are to where I am now, it’s hard. Really, really hard. I don’t want to scare you -- it’s not just 20 years of suck. There are amazing things ahead, but for each amazing thing, it seems you’ve got to endure some serious sh-t. I’m sorry. None of it is any of your doing. It’s just what life throws at you. There’s nothing you can do to change any of it so just accept it and keep going. Sure, there are some things I’d like to tell you to avoid, but those things are what make us who we are now. I’m OK with who I am right now. OK, maybe you should drink more water, and try to save more money. But aside from that, things are what they are; you’ve got to take the bad if you want the good.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to shoulder everything all alone

You don’t have to be the strong one all the time. You can ask for help -- there’s nothing weak about asking for help. And speaking of weak, it’s OK to cry. Really. You aren’t a cry baby, you aren’t going to be laughed at, and you will be able to stop. I know you think it makes you look weak, but there’s nothing weak about crying. There will come a day when the sh-t really hits the fan and you won’t be able to control it any longer. You will cry with such pain, the sound will terrify you. But don’t worry; you will be able to stop. You’ll pull yourself together and you will be able to move on. I just wonder -- had you cried more in the past, that moment maybe wouldn’t have been so terrifying.

You are amazing at finding and keeping friends. It may not feel like it, but it’s true. Keep treating people right and learn to lean on them. You have collected the most amazing group of friends. You will surround yourself with people who care about you, who love you and who want the best for you. Sometimes it won’t sound like it, but really, they do. Those people are telling you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear -- that’s what makes them your friends. No matter how far away these people are, keep them close to your heart. Even if they are people you haven’t met in person, they are all important, and you will eventually meet them in person. (I know this sounds odd to be friends with someone you haven’t met, but roll with me here, it’ll be clear to you soon enough.)

Remembering the good

Oh, and when you’re writing in your journal, could you try writing about the good things as well as all the bad stuff? Reading those journals now, you sound like some kind of whiny, angst ridden teenager. Seriously, life wasn’t ALL bad. Celebrate the good by writing it down. I know that you work out the crap by writing about it. But share the good too, would you?

In the end what I want to say is, be good to yourself. You deserve happiness, love, and to be treated well. You are beautiful inside and out. Yes, you ARE, don’t fight with me. I’m an old woman who knows more than you do. Enjoy the next 20 years of living, go crazy, do all kinds of things. You have no regrets so, live it up. Have fun.

I’ll see you when you get here.

Pattie

Now you!

OK Pinkies, what would YOU say to your 20 year-old self? What wisdom would you share with her? What fears would you try to alleviate? Is there anything in your journey you'd try to change or are you looking back, realizing all of those things you might want to change are what made you who you are today?