I'm going through a small box that contains my only tangible memories from my teenage years and I laughed like never before and at the same time I saw things that made me cringe.

I read my diaries and saw letters where I burst into tears over a school sweetheart. Now, as an adult, reading all those words makes me laugh a lot, but I remember that when I was first going through those problems, I felt like the world was falling apart and that it was the worst thing that could ever happen.

I'd like to tell her that everything will get better after this and that everything will be perfect, but the truth isn't. That's how life is, im sorry, ups and downs. My 16-year-old self would be shocked to know that I didn't finish college, that we had to emigrate, that we had to work in jobs we never imagined, that we spent seven years away from our family, and that until now I have not been able to meet with dad again, among other things my current self isn't proud of. Wait a minute, not everything is bad. Life isn't just black and white, nor is it a grayscale. Right now, I wouldn't blame myself for not doing things differently.

I've blamed myself for a long time. Today I know that I acted based on the lack of knowledge I had at the time and that it's impossible for me to do things differently because I didn't have the experience I have now, nor did I have the same emotional maturity. Now I'm on to the bright side. I would tell myself that we have a wonderful daughter and that we enjoy doing many things together, that the love we have for her is the most beautiful experience. I would tell myself that I've learned to do many things and that I'm braver now. I would tell her that we met a good man who treats us like queens. That we had a business and it went very well, but now it's time to move on to something better. We visited new countries and made good friends.

Definitely if I could go back in time and see myself again I would just hug myself.