Member-only story
I Met My Younger Self For Coffee Today
I used to think I needed to protect her — but now, I see she was the one who protected me
She walked into the café wearing that oversized black hoodie she thought made her invisible, clutching her diary like it held all her secrets.
Her innocent eyes flickered with curiosity, wide and full of questions she hadn’t dared to ask yet.
As I waved her over, I could almost hear her inner thoughts. Why is this grown-up woman smiling at me like she knows me?
But I did know her — because she was me.
She sat down hesitantly, fidgeting with her sleeves. “So… what’s life like now?” she asked quietly, her voice tinged with both hope and doubt.
I took a breath, deciding to be honest. “It’s nothing like we expected,” I admitted, “but it’s better in ways you’d never imagine.”
Her brow furrowed. “Better how?”
“Well,” I began, “you’re going to grow up not being afraid to be alone. You’ll start going to restaurants by yourself, sitting in cozy little booths while reading a book without caring who notices. You’ll go to the movies alone and laugh out loud without feeling self-conscious.”
