Today I write to myself

To myself, I write today:

"When you are five years old, or ten, or fifteen, or twenty –

Consider what is your favourite:

Book

Television

Computer game

Word

Music

Feeling

Thing

Food, drink, sweets.

Write what it is and why

Put this paper carefully away in a box and do not look at it again."

I continue: 

"Then

When you are ten years old, or fifteen, or twenty, or twenty-five

Consider what is now important:

Life

Love

People

Time

And anything else like the stuff above.

Write down what, where, why, when

Put the paper carefully away in the same box and do not look at it again."

Still more, I write:

"Then
When you are fifteen years old, or twenty, or twenty-five, or thirty

Consider what is your favourite:

Dream

And all the above.

Write it in your heart

And hold it with you forever."

Perhaps just one more:

"Then. 
When you are twenty years old, or twenty-five, or thirty, or thirty-five

Consider what is your favourite:

Everything.

Write it with your heart

And hope another can read it."

And that is what I write to myself.

And so, and so, and so.

I say to myself today, at forty years old.

"Know only that you have had favourite:

Book

Television

Computer game

Word

Music

Feeling

Thing

Food, drink, sweets

Life

Love

People

Time.

And these were sometimes written, sometimes not.

And that this, and only this, means to you

That you have had

Dreams.

Everything."

And one more whisper, perhaps:

"The writing of these favourites is important, 

If

Only to you."

And I listen.

And I hear a quiet, quivering reply:

"Well then.

That is enough for me."