Dear 50-Year-Old Me.

You may not remember me...or you....whatever.

But fifty, hey? You made it. There are so many possible scenarios that you may find yourself in now. By my calculations, you could be an empty nester! Maybe you're working or volunteering. Maybe you're travelling the world with your husband. Perhaps you're taking care of elderly parents. Maybe you're the one that needs taking care of. You may even be a Grandparent. What?!

But remember back, 50-year-old me? Back two decades ago? I bet not. Oh, there are memories, I'm sure. But nothing fresh like the 30-year-old version of yourself is living right now. Even that 30-year-old version is beginning to have blurred memories and vague recollections of the life stage that is passing her by. This stage called "Prime" is passing by so fast that she is frantically trying to keep the balance of surviving, while still hanging on to every fleeting moment.

And so, 50-year-old me, you need to take a pledge. A promise to the 30-year-old version of yourself:

A Pledge by 50-Year-Old Me:

• Wherever and whatever you are doing in your life, 50-year-old me, remember the young moms. You will be busy with your own life, I know. In fact, you may be so busy that you forget to remember them. But do. Please do.
• 50-year-old me, do you remember the exhaustion? The exhaustion that is a mixture of sleep deprivation and intense emotional output? It's real, 50-year-old me. You may be tired too, but that doesn't mean that young mother's exhaustion isn't real. Just take her word for it.
• Promise that you will never tell a young mom that it only gets busier when they get older. It's cruel. Really and truly cruel.  
• Remember that life is different now than it was back then, 50-year-old me. The world changes so quickly that the issues facing young moms today may have not existed two decades ago.
• Remember that hindsight is 20/20. And life experiences and problems are always easier to solve when we look back on them.
• The world is scary, 50-year-old me. That young mom is scared of everything: Failing, not loving enough, not disciplining properly, not doing enough. And that was all before 9 am. 
• Remember to smile, 50-year-old me. Don't just give those sweet moms a pat on the back, and a glazed-over expression for them to talk to. Listen to them. Really listen. 
• And while you're listening, 50-year-old me, do not judge. Those moms are doing their best. Just like you gave it your best twenty short years ago.
• You'll never know. As much as you think you remember being 30, you still don't know every story out there. And that young mom has a story, 50-year-old me. Just like you have a story. 

And lastly, 50-year-old me, those young moms see you too! They see you serving others. They see you taking care of your parents. They see you battling cancer. They know that life at 50 and beyond isn't any easier or less busy. 

But still remember them, and the task that is before them. Don't demean them, 50-year-old me. Don't brush them off and undermine their stage of life. 

After all, you were once there too. 

Love,

30-Year-Old You.