a letter to myself in ten years

A Letter to Myself in Ten Years

Comrade Wu,

I still call you “Comrade” within the Party, and after all, as a Party member, you can not be divorced from the Party organization.

This year you are already in your fifties, the year of knowing your destiny according to the Chinese saying, and you will be sixty years old in ten years. At that time, your white hair will show its original appearance. Do you want to continue to have it dyed? When you were going to graduate from the secondary school in 1988, you began to have your hair dyed, fearing that a young person with grey hair looked older and would affect your brilliant image. Thirty years have passed since then. It is surprising to meet an old man in his 60s with dark hair. You had better not have your hair dyed.

I think you won't wear glasses when you look at this letter. Strange to say, reading books and sitting in front of the computer all day, you still have very good eyesight. Just like doing the homework when young, you wrote while humming naucous pop songs, as if you were composing a piece of music. When you finished your homework, the song was over. Unfortunately a hole was blasted into the table on which I often wrote my homework when my younger brother @xiaoshancun set off fireworks on it during the Spring Festival, only to be fit for nothing but the fire.

You do not have many hobbies, of course, you have no bad habits and you still have a regular life. You will be learning English, translating, and writing on Steemit at that time. These are all your hobbies, and you will not discard them.

When a person is fifity, he should know his destiny, but you would not believe in fate. Even in your 60s and 80s, you can not change your stubborn temper. Honest and upright, you cannot see injustice without heating. At the age of 60, you should retire to enjoy the happiness of a family union.

At that time you would take your grandson (or granddaughter) to go out to play. You walk in the front with your hands clasped behind your back, and the child follows you in the back in the same way. An old man and a child, isn’t it a landscape? Isn’t it your daughter’s childhood?

You will keep some flowers and just looking at the green leaves is also a kind of enjoyment.

The bookcase in the house is too small, buy a big one. During the ten years you will buy many books. You put the books in the bookcase for you love them and make a home for them, not for others to see.

You are sure to think about doing translation at the age of 60, and you would say that some Japanese people are still to start a business in China at the age of 70. Act according to your capability!

You are still particular about details, and mopping the floor bright —these habits cannot be changed easily. Exercising your body is a good thing. No need changing.

Your wife is still nagging. When you were scolded by your wife while just getting married, you soon fell asleep. When getting old, you are feeling uncomfortable without your wife’s nagging.

The only thing that I am worrying about is your teeth, for you have lost a few under 50. You should pay more attention, or you would have no pleasure in eating.

Out of sight and out of mind. As a common person, you have nothing to worry about, and have no sense of loss.

When you get to the destination, you should get off, or you'll miss the stop.

You will be as frankly kind and merry as ever. After all, a sixty years old man is still a young man according to current standards.

Brief Biography of @bring—Old Wu, or 老吴in Chinese: Old Wu, male, born on Dec. 12, 1968, Chinese nationality, is a good man and has been studying English for over 30 years. He teaches himself English, and he does not believe in fate, so he keeps working hard. Humorous and optimistic, he will become your good friend.

写给十年后的自己

老吴同志：

还是称呼为同志吧，党内一律称呼同志，好歹你也是一名共产党员，不能脱离了组织啊。

今年是你知天命之年，再过十年正好是花甲之年了。那时你的白头发也就露出了本来面目，还要继续染吗？1988年, 即将中专毕业的你怕少白头影响了你的光辉形象，就开始染发，而这一染就30年了。60岁的人了，满头黑发反而更让人惊奇，不染也罢。

我想，你看这封信时也不会戴着眼镜。说来也怪，整日看书，坐在电脑前的你，视力还竟那么好。就像你小时候写作业一样，边写边哼唱着不着边的流行歌，那作业像是在谱曲了，作业写完了，歌也唱完了。只是可惜那用来写作业的方桌了，后来让弟弟@xiaoshancun 过年在上面放礼花时给炸了个洞，便成了烧火的材料。

人老易松，本来你就没有多少爱好，当然也没有什么恶习和不良习惯，你还是生活有规律的。那时的你还会在学英语、搞翻译，也会在Steemit上写作，这些都是你的爱好，你不会丢弃的。

五十知天命，可你就是不认命，你六十、八十也改不了你那个倔脾气——耿直，善良，看到不平事就愤愤然。若赶不上延迟退休，60岁也该退下来，享享天伦之乐了。

那时的你带着外孙（女）外出游玩，你在前面倒背着手走着，小孩子在后面学着你的样子，也倒背着手跟着，一老一少，也是道风景啊。这不正是女儿小时的情景吗？

你会养养花，弄些好养的，就是看看绿叶，也是一种享受啊。

现在家里的书橱太小了，再买个书橱吧，十年间你也会再买不少书啊。放在书橱里，是你对书的疼爱，给它们安个家，不是摆出来给别人看的。

60岁的你肯定还会想着去做翻译的事，你会说人家日本人70岁还到中国来创业呢。量力而行吧。

你还会那么讲究，把地板拖得铮亮，这些习惯都改不了了，锻炼一下，不改也罢。

老伴还是唠叨，年轻时听妻子训斥，一会就睡着了；年老了一时听不到老伴的絮叨，还浑身难受吧。

唯一让我放心不下的，就是你的牙齿，50岁不到就脱落了几颗。你可要注意保护，否则吃饭就真的不香了。

即使到那时延迟上一年半载退休，你也要退下来。眼不见心不念，平头百姓一个，倒无牵挂，也无失落感。到了该下车的那一站，就要下车，否则会坐过好几站的。

花甲之年，你还是那个样子，脾气、劲头、不认命。毕竟，按现在的标准，60岁还是壮年呢。