What most teenagers dream of is to go to college, travel the world, and have many friends. 12-year-old Taylor Smith, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was no different. This girl spent her days around her family and friends and loved watching a lot of Doctor Who.
Smith outlined these plans in a letter she wrote to her future self in April 2013. The letter was placed inside a box in her room with the instruction “To be opened by Taylor Smith on April 12, 2023 only (unless said otherwise).”
Unfortunately, she didn’t live long enough to see whether those dreams would be accomplished. Just months after she wrote that letter, Taylor died of complications from a sudden onset of pneumonia.
Her parents, Tim and Mary Ellen Smith, were heartbroken. They couldn’t believe their girl was forever gone.
One day, as they were sorting through her possessions, they found the letter. As it touched them deeply, they decided to share it online and give others some solace.
As she shared her daughter’s letter, Marry Ellen wrote: “I can’t physically resurrect her, I can’t bring her back, but
I’m so grateful people have been inspired by her story.”
Below is Taylor’s letter and the words she wrote to herself.
Dear Taylor,
How’s life? Life is pretty simple right now (10 years in your past). I know I’m late for you, but as I’m writing, this is early, so; congratulations on graduating high school! If you didn’t, go back and keep trying. Get that degree! Are you (we) in college? If not, I understand. We do have pretty good reasoning, after all.
Don’t forget, it’s Allana’s 11th birthday today! Sheesh, 11 already? In my time, she just turned 1! I didn’t get to go to that party though, because I was in Cranks, Kentucky for my first mission trip. I’ve only been back for 6 days!
Speaking of, how’s your relationship with GOD? Have you prayed, worshipped, read the bible, or gone to serve the lord recently? If not, get up and do so NOW! I don’t care what point in our life we’re in right now, do it! He was mocked, beaten, tortured, and crucified for you! A sinless man, who never did you or any other person any wrong!
Now, have you gone on any more mission trips? Have you been out of the country yet? How about on a plane?
Is Doctor Who still on the air? If not, what regeneration did they end it with? You should go watch some Doctor Who! Later though, you gotta finish reading your own words of wisdom!
Do you have your own place yet? If we’re in college, what are we majoring in? Right now, I wanna be a lawyer.
Have you been to Dollywood recently? Right now, their newest attraction is the Wild Eagle. It’s so fun!
Also I think I’m going to sell my iPad and buy an iPad mini, Don’t forget to tell your kids that we’re older than the tablet! Attached I also have a drawing of an iPad, so you can show them.
Well, I think that’s all. But remember, it’s been 10 years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it.
Sincerely, Taylor Smith
Beautiful words from an angel who was taken away from her family too soon!
If you were touched by Taylor’s words as much as we were, please share this story in her memory.
MY MIL SPENT $200 ON A HALLOWEEN COSTUME FOR HER AND HER DOG
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her prancing around in her elaborate witch costume, complete with a matching mini-hat and cape for *Charlie*—her beloved Shih Tzu. And don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween as much as the next person, but she dropped **five hundred dollars** on these costumes. Five hundred. Dollars. For a matching ensemble with her *dog.*
Meanwhile, here we are, carefully budgeting for groceries and figuring out how to make the most of our paycheck for the month. Yet she’s out here treating this dog like her soulmate, her little partner in crime. She even mentioned planning a photoshoot so they can have “memories of this year’s theme.” Memories?! For a dog?!
Then it hit me: she actually *does* treat him like a family member. She’s constantly calling Charlie her “baby” and talking about how he’s the “only one who truly understands her.” She even joked about putting him in her will once. I thought it was funny at first, but now I’m not so sure it’s a joke.
Now, part of me wants to laugh it off, but the other part can’t help but feel a bit resentful. Is it crazy to think there’s something a little… off here? Like, it’s fine to have fun with Halloween, but at what cost? I can’t help but feel like all this is masking something deeper—maybe she’s lonely, or maybe it’s just a quirky obsession. But no matter how I try to see it, I can’t shake the feeling that her priorities are, well, *somewhere else entirely.*
So, am I overreacting here, or does this seem just as absurd to you as it does to me? Because I can’t help but wonder what will happen next. I’m just waiting for the day she announces a full-blown dog wedding, and I’ll be expected to RSVP.
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