Centerville High School Senior Nick Merlin is wondering what his life will be like five years from now — so he wrote a letter to his future self.
Hey, Nicholas I'm guessing you are twenty two or on the cusp of twenty three. How was college? Did you go to Philadelphia for a weekend? How's it going on your own? What are your favorite books and video games? What are your hobbies, anything new?
Is COVID still around? COVID messed a lot up. Hope you've had the vaccine for years at that point. I hope you have a better fashion sense than I did in my past. I hope you have plenty of friends and you've apologized and held yourself accountable if you hurt anyone.
I hope everything is all right at home now that you're on your own. I figure you don't have to listen to your parents. Maybe I'm being presumptuous for assuming that you're on your own, take your time man. Who do you still keep in touch with? I hope you're not completely online right now. I've always hated using the internet too much. I've gone through my struggles, and I've lived a pretty difficult life on my own terms and others'.
I hope my anxieties and difficulties are to you, a story to tell friends when they're feeling down, an expression of solidarity. I hope you write a message like this to a child, a son, a daughter, whatever they feel represents them. Ultimately, I hope I'm responsible for the great decisions you've made. I want you to be the best person you can be. I'm trying to step in the right direction, and I really pray that the product is you. Nicholas, you inspire me to be a better person, more than anyone I know. I still have more to do.
For Dayton Youth Radio at Centerville, this is Nicholas Murlin signing off.
Nicholas Murlin is a student at Centerville High School. Special thanks to Tricia Rapoch, teacher for the Communication Arts Program at Centerville High School. Learn more at the school's website: http://www.centerville.k12.oh.us/CHS. Dayton Youth Radio is supported by the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council.
This story was created at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO.