If I could say one thing to my past self, I probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. But if there’s one lesson that has shaped me into a better person, it’s this: ‘be curious.’

Learn everything—especially what lies beyond textbooks and classrooms. Nothing is useless or irrelevant. I used to be the kid who raised her hand in class and asked, “When will we ever use this in real life?” Back then, my friends cheered me on, and I thought it was cool to complain about what we learned. But looking back, I don’t think I truly appreciated the opportunities I had.

That’s right— opportunities. I never had to seek knowledge; it was handed to me. I never felt the desperate hunger for it—not until I read my first Pablo Neruda poem or my first Tolstoy novel. I didn’t lie awake at night longing to understand algebra. I longed for more Whitman, Atwood, Twain, and Gaiman. I wanted to draw, to paint, to absorb everything. Then, something shifted inside me. Suddenly, I was no longer afraid of who I was or what I loved.

So, here’s what I would say to my past self: “Don’t fear what others think of you. Don’t be afraid.”The things you’ll see and the people you’ll meet will be extraordinary. You don’t need to feel threatened by others. A true friend reveals new sides of yourself—not by tearing you down, but by encouraging your dreams.

Be curious. Learn. ❤️🙏

©️ Beatriz Esmer