The concept of time travel continues to thrill and intrigue us all. Ask a handful of friends what superpower they’d most like, and after the ever-popular “ability to make yourself invisible” (oh how I wish for this a million times a day!), the ability to travel through time is right up there.
We read books about it (Time Traveller’s Wife, anyone?…go read it!), we watch films about it. A couple of weeks ago, twitter was all a-twitter about the alleged July 5, 2010 anniversary of the “future date” typed into the dashboard of the Deloreon that Doc and Marty McFly would travel to in Back to the Future.
Leigh wrote a fantastic blog a couple of weeks ago about what she’d say to her 13 year old self, and I think anyone who read it spent some time thinking about what we might have said to our younger selves.
How about being able to say something to your future self? Ten years from now, I’ll have just turned 50 (!), my 21 (!!) year old son may be living on his own, my 19 (!!!) year old son will be drinking legally, and I’ll be sharing the house with my 15 year old daughter (!!!!). What would I say to myself, and to them? Would I share words of wisdom, humourous stories, or photos that capture our life today? Given my circumstances, could I pack a bottle of wine or two into my envelope?
Hallmark has just re-introduced its popular “Write to the Future” program whereby consumers can write and send a personal message to themselves or to someone special, 10 years into the future.
Here’s how it works:
- purchase a Write to the Future envelope (only $9.99)
- Write a note, letter or include a special memento that you want to share with someone 10 years in the future, or even yourself!
- Insert your card into the postage paid, addressed envelope, seal and drop in any mailbox.
- Retain the change of address notification form.
- Hallmark wil keep the envelope safe for 10 years.
- In the year 2020, Hallmark will mail the same Write to the Future envelope to the person it was intended for.
The Write to the Future envelopes may be purchases anywhere Hallmark cards are sold in Canada.
Our friends at Hallmark are giving 10 lucky UrbanMoms members their own Write to the Future envelopes to get you started. Just leave a comment below telling me who would you write to? What would you say?
The contest closes on August 3, 2010.
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I would write to my children, and hope they are doing well 10 years down the road
I would send one to both of my kids and tell them how much they are loved. As if they didn’t know it already. They’ll both be teenagers by then so maybe they will need some reminding.
I would give my whole family a shout out and let them know how much I care about them.
I would write to my kids and let them know just how special they are and how much I love them. Cancer runs in my family and my mom died when I was very young so we never know how long we have on this earth. If anything did happen to me before 2020 I think it would be a special letter to my kids that would let them know just how much mom loved them! And if we’re all still around it would just be really cool to have a letter like that show up one day because I’m sure we’d all forget that it was written!
what a great ideal i would write to my sister and tell her how much she means to me
I would write to my future family. My husband and children. I would remind them that though we are a young family, its important not to take anything or anyone for granted. I would remind us all (especially myself!) that time flies fastest when you think you have the most of it. I would implore my kids to really enjoy their childhood and soak up every moment – staying youthful at heart for as long as they like (Santa DOES exists, of course its the tooth fairy that leaves you dollars for dentals and that you’re never too old or too young to tell your mother whatever, no matter how light or how heavy the topic, you want and need to because she will love you no matter what). Most of all, I would remind myself of how much I had looked forward to that day, ten years in the future, when I can tell my youngest, “see, I thought about you and have loved you for a long time, even before you came to be the baby sleeping peacefully in my arms.”
What a great idea! I would write to my kids and tell them how great they are.
I would write to my two sons to tell them how much i love them and how proud i am of them!!
future is wild
I would write to my mom and tell her to come to my house and visit us!
My AndiePandie stuggles to be just like her big sister big sister Katie. She is 4 and is easily frustrated by her older sister who can do no wrong and the cherub that is her little brother. I want her to know I love her, she is creative, beautiful and in spite of the challenges faced during her 4th year of her life, she holds a special place in my heart as my little girl.
I would write to my daughter telling her how proud I am of her and how much I love heer. In ten years she will be 16 and I am pretty sure those teenage years are going to be alot different then the agreeable and eager to please 6 year old I have now. I will let her know that no matter how angry she might ever get at us that we love her no matter what .
I wish I could go back 10 years to let my younger self know that despite the highschool and college hardships suffered I turned out pretty darn good! It would have changed a lot. As for the future, I would assure myself that things just keep getting better and better.
I would love to write to the future and ask all the ?’s of what will happen etc and see if they ever come back answered and if the predictions were true.
I would write to my sons and tell them all the things I like about them and see if they still have those qualities 10 years from now. I’d also tell them what they are talented at now and see if they have chosen carreers where they use the talents of their youth.
I would write to my new godson and tell him how special it was for us, and for him the day he was born!
This is a great idea! I woul write to my kids and remind them of what was going on this year and tell them I am sure everything is going well for them in the ten years.
This is really nice. I endure life with a chronic illness, not that I try to let that get me down, and I would definately write this for my kids. I love them so much – they have no idea – they may understand better in 10 years, 20 years, so maybe this letter wiill bring back memories of a wonderful childhood and family.
This is such a great idea! I would write a letter to my sons who are 14 years and 4 years old right now. I would tell them about things that are going on in their lives right now, what interests they have, what their plans are for the future. Then they can read it and see how much they have changed. I would also tell them how much their Dad and I love them, in case either of us are not around in 10 years.
I’m just so happy with this idea I have tears! Thanks so much for telling us about this more than awesome idea! I am in very poor health even though I’m in my 40s, I wasn’t fortunate enough to have kids of my own but my niece and nephew are everything to me and I know I will never see them walk down the Isle or graduate which makes me so sad but at least if I do it now, one will be a little late by a few months but they will know I am with them in spirit and how much I love them and what they meant to me in adult words!! Thanks so much to you and hallmark!
I would write to my parents to thank them for all the countless favours I anticipate phoning in over the next decade.
My Write to the Future letter would be directed to my daughter, who is currently 15 and will be 25 in 2020. I would encapsulate and recount all the wonderful experiences she’s had this year (trips, concerts, camps, school outings, awards, relationships) and all the beautiful ways she’s matured and grown. I would imagine her life at 25 – university completed, likely married, perhaps with children of her own. What fun it will be to open the letter 10 years’ hence and read it together!
My Write to the Future letter would be directed to my daughter, who is currently 15 and will be 25 in 2020. I would encapsulate and recount all the wonderful experiences she’s had this year (trips, concerts, camps, school outings, awards, relationships) and all the beautiful ways she’s matured and grown. I would imagine her life at 25 – university completed, likely married, perhaps with children of her own. What fun it will be to open the letter 10 years’ hence and read it together!
I would write to myself – to remind myself of all the things I am gratefull for and all the things that I hope to have done during the 10 years
I would definitely write my 6 yr old daughter who will be 16 in 2020. You can imagine the changes with her from always wanting to be around me to ‘who are you’. I would remind her of how she was at 6 and how much we did together (hoping the bond has continued) and also predict where technology will be in 2020 for fun.
I would write a letter to myself. I would write out the 10 year plan I have for myself. Hopefully when I get the letter, I would be *there* or doing something even better. And of course in the letter I would mention how much I love my son & husband and make sure to pass it on to them in 10 years.
For myself and family…10 years…it’s really not that far off the way time flies…I’ll be a young 51 year old lol, my hubby, the big 6-0, my daughters 31 and 28, my puppies 12 and 11 :D…life is wonderful right now, and I hope in 10 years it will be even better!! 😀
Wow, this is such an amazing idea! I never knew Hallmark did this!
I would of course write to my daughter. She is only 5 now, so in 10 years she would actually be able to read a letter from me (well I hope she can at 15 LOL). I would tell her about the beautiful, wonderful daughter I had when she was 5 and how I know she has blossomed into an extraordinary 15yr old. I’m sure life will seem tough to her at that age so I hope I could say only encouraging words.
Her dad and I split up and have been going through a divorce over the last year so I want her to know and understand all the things she couldn’t at this young age, and that is her mom and dad love her more than anything or anyone and I don’t want her to ever forget that no matter how tough life can seem for her!
What a fantastic idea. I would def write to my daughter who will be 17 at the time. And I am sure there will be lots of teenage drama in the house. Hopefully it would come at a time just when she needed to hear how much I love her most!
I would write to my two girls, who will be 10 and 12 in 10 years. I would tell them how much they mean to me, how much they are loved and what they were like now. I would tell them about what their parents are like now, and what we to hope to be then.
This is so ironic,because I woke up this morning; thinking of this very idea.
Our precious Son Lee is now 13, and our darling daughter Kalea just turned 11.
I would tell our Son, do not feel that you can try to change or rescue someone.
It is difficult to bring alot of baggage into a relationship. Often if you marry someone who has a predisposition to a mental health or a genetic issue. Often your children can suffer. Try to live in a safe neighbourhood, Try to be a decent human being, be mindful of others and the environment. Do not waste years, as time goes by so fast. Respect yourself and others. Do not dwell on imagined or actual shortcomings. Do not become shallow or overly materialistic. Take care of yourselves and one aother. I Love you both dearly. Thank you so much for generously, forgiving my shortcomings. Prior to having children make sure that you have yourself in order. Children are precious and delicate gifts, to nurture. Kalea. in hebrew I named you gold, queen and sapphires. Always remember your own worth. Furnish the best lives that you can with beauty, happiness and love. Be true to yourself and others, to avoid feeling like a fraud. Here are two poems that I have written: A clown”s tears are never shed for fear of smudg
ing his livelihood.
I also wrote; Life is the theatrical production of that which is staged in our mind.
Have fullC rich, loving, healthy and happy lives that you are deserving of.
I would definitely write to my children and husband and tell them all how very much i love them first and foremost. It will be very interesting to see how we will all have changed in ten years time. By then i will have teenagers to parent yikes and most likely grey hairs starting to sprout.
I would write down all of my current goals for myself and my family. I would love to see how many current dreams come to fruition in that time!
Great idea……… I would write to my hubby and children. By then I’ll have grandchildren……. wow!
I would write to my hubby, my best friend, and tell him how wonderful he is and how much fun I’m having with him
What a neat and unique idea!
I’d write to a very good friend and tell her how much I cherish our friendship
What a really neat and unique idea! I think I would write to a good friend to tell her how much I cherish her friendship.
I really love the idea of this, as I have started writing letters “for the future” to my 4 younger siblings.
I have a heart and lung condition (and nooo, let me just make it clear, I am not trying to play “that card” for a win hahalol)…
However, onto the story – I was diagnosed with this problem as a child. And so far have been given MANY time lines. Well, now I am 30 years old – and of course, reality has hit, and I worry that I will not be around to show guidance to my sisters and brother as they get older.
Right now, they are 22, 20, 12 and 11. As much as I would love to be around to see each get married, go through the trials and tribulations with my sisters during their teenage years – I fear that I will not be around for this.
Therefore – I have started writing these letters, giving ANY and ALL advice, I wish I had taken growing up, or just things about life in general to them – that maybe they would not think of.
In each of these letters – I will place a picture of just the 2 of us, and then a picture of all of us as a family.
I think this is a wonderful idea from Hallmark ♥
I would write to my husband and tell him “10 years ago, I was thinking of you and thats why I’m writting. We better not be divorced right now.” lol
I would write to my husband. We’ve been married for 3 months and live on different continents (I am sponsoring him to immigrate here). I would tell him how much I love him and miss him, and that waiting for us to be together is so terribly hard. I can’t tell him this now because we both get upset, so it would be good for him to hear it in the future when it is all just a distant memory.
I’d write 4.
3 for my children, who will then be 22, 19 and 17, to tell them just what I think of them now and to tell them that whatever lies ahead in the teenage years, I know they will turn out to be incredible people.
The other one I would write to my husband. We have only been married for 3 months and we live on separate continents (I am sponsoring him for immigration) and I would tell him how excited I am about the next 10 years spent with him.
I would write to my son to remind him how much I love him.
What a fabulous idea.
I would definately want to write to my only child. My beautiful 12 year old daughter would be 22 years old in ten years…OMG…and I would tell her how my love for her is eternal. I would hope to still be alive then; and would tell her nonetheless how very proud I am of her, and that I wish for her a lifetime of health, happiness, and love. I would ask her to love her self (first and foremost), and to always take time to listen to herself, and to take alone time for herself….and that, no matter what, she is loved and wanted and so very worth it. Last but not least, if I am still alive, I’d ask her to (wherever she is) come and see me….I’d hug her, kiss her, and love every moment with her.
WOw – love this idea. Totally doing it!
I’d write to our sons and tell them just how much I love them always and forever.
OMG. I absolutely LOVE this idea! I would write to my kids and tell them what is special about them, what I admire and adore, and how I will always love them. I think it would be amazing to see whether those things are still the same.
What an awesome idea!
I would write to my husband saying that I still love him like the first day I met him.
I would write to my husband saying that I still love him like the first day I met him.
I would write to my best friend Chris and ask her if she is ready for a vacation.
I would like to write to my spouse, and let him know how wonderful it is to be married to him in 2010, and to be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. I would also tell him that I look forward to our 30th anniversary in 2020, the year he will receive my Future envelope. My husband is very sentimental about anniversaries, and special letters and would love to receive a Future envelope.