Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in January 2014.

When we were young, we all had dreams of what we wanted our future to look like. For Taylor Smith, a young girl from Johnson City, Tennessee, her aspirations were simple: attend college, travel the world, and maintain her faith in God. She also made it clear that she wanted to watch a lot of Doctor Who. In April 2013, Smith wrote a letter to her future self and placed it in a box in her bedroom with the instructions that it should only be opened on April 12, 2023, unless otherwise specified.

Unfortunately, Smith was unable to fulfill her dreams. She passed away several months after writing the letter due to complications from pneumonia. Her parents, Tim and Mary Ellen Smith, found the letter while going through her possessions after her death. They were touched by the message and decided to share it with the world in the hopes that it would bring comfort to others.

In the letter, Smith wrote to her 22-year-old self as if she were an old friend. She congratulated herself on graduating high school and encouraged her future self to pursue a college degree, even if it took multiple attempts. Smith also asked her future self to maintain her Christian faith and continue to watch Doctor Who, assuming the show was still on the air.

The letter also contained a description of the newest ride at Dollywood, which was popular at the time, and a diagram of an iPad to show her future children how outdated technology was in 2013. Smith closed the letter by reminding herself to tell her future kids that they were older than the tablet.

Taylor’s parents were heartbroken by her passing, but they hope that the letter can serve as a time capsule of their daughter’s loving, trusting, and hopeful personality. “I can’t physically resurrect her, I can’t bring her back, but I’m so grateful people have been inspired by her story,” said Mary Ellen Smith in an interview with Today.

The letter has touched the hearts of many people, inspiring them to cherish every moment of their lives and hold on to their hopes and dreams. It is a reminder that we never know what the future holds and that we should live our lives to the fullest while we still can. Taylor Smith may not have been able to achieve her goals, but her spirit lives on through the words she left behind.

Sources: People