Dear Writer
Dear Katra: You’ll Outgrow This Name
But you’ll never outgrow writing.
You’re so Brave
You’re only thirteen, but already you’ve fashioned a persona for yourself. You’ve told your longtime friends to stop calling you ‘Katrina’, that you go by ‘Katra’ now. You’re a living character, wearing clothes similar to the elves in Lord of the Rings and throwing out Rachel’s catchphrase “Let’s do it!” from Animorphs. You spend hours on the computer, writing stories about Cho Chang or Duo Maxwell, weaving your own characters (and yourself) into the pages.
As the older you, I want you to know that I’m so proud of you, thirteen-year-old Katrina (sorry, Katra). You’re living the dream that I want for myself.
You’re weaving worlds you’ve imagined and worlds you’ve read about into your being. Your personality is wild and random and open to new things. You don’t care if other people think you’re strange for wearing the same outfit every day, or if you spend your lunches writing in a journal. You are brave enough to show everyone you’re still figuring yourself out.
I haven’t been so courageous.
