It would be nice if no one felt the need to hold me to every little statement I ever made (I prefer to forget them, myself).

Especially since I was such an outspoken teenager at times (in a rather public forum).

I wish I could go back and tell my 16-year-old self a few things (but would I have understood?).

I would remind myself not to judge when I don’t know every detail (thus the only life I could judge would be my own).

I would tell myself never to give unsolicited advice (and think twice before giving solicited advice).

I would explain to myself that courtship is never paint-by-numbers (and not a thing like it is in the books).

I would sternly tell myself not to make blanket statements about what I will or will not do (because it is really much easier to let your man make the decisions anyway).

I would encourage myself to keep dreaming and hold onto my ideals, but expect life to be much different than I planned (but entirely more wonderful than I could have imagined).

And I would laughingly tell myself that it is always someone else who gets married right out of high school (never you).