Letters to Our Younger Selves: Dear Dana

Dear Dana,

You're just a tiny girl, sitting on a tree branch, reading about someone's adventures far away. Your world is your family and house and school, and you can't imagine it will ever be any bigger than that.

Right now you get to go to town -- to the library -- and that's where the world opens up, ever since the first book you checked out with your brand new library card. You devoured "My Side of the Mountain," and you've thought ever since about that boy who made his own way. You make your way in the old apple orchard and creek and field across the road, but you know there's more to the world out there.

If only you knew how much of it you will discover.