Advice to self: 'It is fine if you don't rank 1st'

We'd asked you, dear readers, to write a message to your 15-year-old self.
Rediff reader Sagar Chandrakant Sharma, 42 from Thane shares his advice:

• READER'S SPECIAL: Letters to 15-year-old self

Dear Me!

Congratulations, you turned 15!

So soon? But wait, there's a lot more to come.

It is perfectly fine if you don't rank 1st in class or if you aren't a class monitor or school prefect.

No one is perfect.

While grades are important, it will take a lot more than mere numbers on your school report card.

Trust me, you have it all IN you!

Arts, science and commerce are mere streams of study, while life is such a vast ocean, you know?

Sounds philosophical?

Play. Pray. Run. Fall. Get up. Cry. Smile. Spread cheer. It is perfectly fine.

Don't get bogged down by minor instances or get hurt by small arguments.

If someone said something to you, perhaps they didn't mean it. They may have said so, because they weren't in a frame of mind at that moment.

Learn to let go. Learn to embrace.

Love your family. They are THE ones you have got. Mom, Dad, siblings -- make them your best friend.

Exercise. Hike. Go on a walk by the seaside. Just sit there and look at the sea when you still have time.

Be one with Nature: it is so amazing and truly magical.

What's more, the Universe, too, has magic all around. What goes around, comes around.

Hope for the best. Work towards your goal and results will surely follow.

And yes, always let the child in you be alive; whether you are 5, 15, 50 or live to be a 100!

God bless you (me).

READER INVITE

Dear readers, what would you like to tell your 15-year-old self?

To love more? To let go?

To learn from your mistakes or deal with failures better?

What's the one message/advice you'd like to share with your younger self?

Simply write a letter and send it to getahead@rediff.co.in (subject: Dear 15-year-old self) along with your NAME, AGE, LOCATION and a photograph, if possible. We'll feature the best responses right here on Rediff.com.