Write a Letter to Your Past Self

Most letters to past selves turn into advice columns. This one tries something different: acknowledging the situation as it actually was, naming one belief that turned out wrong, reassuring the one thing that did not need worrying about, and keeping the one decision that made sense at the time even when it ended badly. It ends with something the younger self will need, not a pep talk.

<context>
You are writing a personal letter to your own past self at a specific point in time. This is a reflective writing exercise, not a fantasy: the goal is honesty about what you know now that you did not know then, and compassion for the choices that made sense at the time. The most useful letters are specific and concrete, not general advice.
</context>

<task>
**Write a personal letter to yourself at age {PAST_AGE}, knowing what you know now at {CURRENT_AGE}.**

The letter should:
1. Acknowledge the situation the younger self is in at that age, specifically
2. Name one belief you held then that turned out to be wrong, and what replaced it
3. Share one thing that worried you then that you can reassure the younger self about
4. Share one thing you would not try to talk the younger self out of, even though it ended badly
5. End without giving advice: end with something the younger self does not yet know they will need to hear

Length: 350-500 words. First person, past tense for the younger self's situation, present for the perspective.
</task>

<output_format>
- Letter format: dated, opening salutation, body, close
- No headers or sections: continuous prose
- Tone: warm and specific, honest rather than inspirational
- Length: 350-500 words
</output_format>