Dear 9 year old me,
I can't believe it's been 20 years since I was you. Remember how life was then? I'm having some trouble remembering exactly how it was. But what I do remember is one really important thing. When you were 9 you really wanted to go see a leafs hockey game. You had watched probably every game, cheering for them and staying loyal regardless to how poorly the season went. Each season you were there cheering them on.
One day, twenty years ago, you got that opportunity. Your father, who you started visiting with after years of not seeing him, had 2 hockey tickets to a leaf game and who was he going to take? That's right - it was you. You were going to go to a hockey game... a leafs game...with your father. The man who inspired you to love that team with his love for the team. You remember those nights where you would sit with him on the couch and watch those games? You loved how he would cheer during the game and you in turn did the same. That was it - the leafs that was your team. Yes, you were born in Vancouver so you were loyal to that team as well. But the leafs...they were it...they were your team.
So you had your chance to go see a game, but there was one problem. One of your brothers wanted to go and although you wanted to go as badly as you did, you've done what you've continue to do in life, you put someone else first. So when asked if you would be willing to give up your ticket so your brother could go - you said yes. You really loved your brother so you were willing to give him the chance first. Your father promised you that the next one would be yours to go with him. You gave up your ticket and trusted that in the near future you would get that opportunity again.
As time passed it became clear that that wouldn't happen. Five years later, your father hurt you greatly and you stopped speaking to him. Since then you think back to that day remembering you had the chance to see a game but you gave it up. You decided that some day somehow you would get to see a game.
(Now this may seem a bit extreme to anyone reading it who doesn't know me, which is fine. But for those who do know me - they understand why such an event was/is so important to me. What matters is that this is meaningful to me.)
Given that money wasn't always available for you growing up and leafs tickets are ridiculously expensive, it was challenging to find the opportunity to go...until today. You're about to turn 30 and live in a different city where the tickets aren't as expensive. So in honour of your 30th birthday, you decided it was time to give that 9 year old you what she has been waiting for for 20 years.
After patiently waiting, today you went online and purchased the tickets to go a leafs games with a few friends. Luckily you purchased the tickets alone because the reaction you had was unexpected. As you were selecting the tickets you felt such anxiety.. almost like a sense of urgency. You were determined to get the best seats you could without spending massive amount. As soon as the tickets were yours, you were overcome with such a feeling you did not expect. You knew you'd be happy and excited for the experience but what you didn't know is that finally getting that opportunity you had been waiting so long for would result in tears. You were overcome with such joy that you cried happily. You tried your best to contain (as you had a meeting soon) but there was no containing. You finally got what you had been waiting for.
Dear 9 year old me, it took 20 years but you finally got it... <3
Here's to childhood wishes coming true...
