IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
DEAR ME,
RIGHT NOW, YOU’RE NOT IN SHALLOW WATER. YOU’RE EXPERIENCING THINGS AND FEELINGS THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN’T SHARE WITH ANYONE (ESPECIALLY YOUR PARENTS) EXCEPT YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR PARENTS ARE LECTURING YOU 24/7 ON STUFF LIKE YOUR BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDE, AND THEY DON’T LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY WHICH MAKES THE FEELINGS GROW STRONGER AND YOUR ATTITUDE WORSENS. YOU’VE THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING AWAY, BUT IT WAS THE NEIGHBORS THAT KEPT YOU HERE. YOU’VE LEARNED TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT AROUND YOUR PARENTS OR YOU’LL GET IN DEEPER TROUBLE. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL. YOU’VE LEARNED WHERE YOUR STRONGEST BONDS ARE. YOU’VE LEARNED WHO YOU CAN TRUST AND WHO WILL RAT YOU OUT.
REMEMBER THAT ONE KID (ONE OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS) WHO ASKED YOU OUT AND IT ABSOLUTELY BROKE YOUR HEART TO TELL HIM THAT YOU WEREN’T INTERESTED IN A RELATIONSHIP THEN, AND PROBABLY EVER, AND THAT YOU WERE BETTER OFF AS FRIENDS? HOW YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT THE DAY AFTER AND THROUGH THE REST OF WINTER BREAK? YEAH, YOU STILL THINK ABOUT THAT FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE YOU LEARN HOW TO LET GO. YOU’RE STILL FRIENDS WITH HIM, AND YOU’RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
YOU’VE LEARNED HOW GOOD COFFEE TASTES, HOW TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE, HOW TO LISTEN OUT FOR FOOTSTEPS, OR FEEL A PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN YOU’RE STILL UP DRAWING OR READING. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT YOU’RE DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THAT YOU NEED TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT YOUR FRIENDS WHEN NO ONE ELSE WILL. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT EVERYONE CAN CHANGE, IF YOU GIVE THEM A CHANCE, THAT IS. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT YOU NEED TO THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOUR SARCASM ISN’T APPRECIATED. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR FRIENDS INTO COUNTRY MUSIC IF YOU TRY HARD ENOUGH (FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DON’T LIKE IT, YOU CAN’T FORGIVE THEM.) YOU’VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES, BEING IN A FANTASY WORLD IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG OR WHERE CHARACTERS PULL YOU UP, AND THAT’S OKAY. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE ON CERTAIN WEBSITES CAN BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AND SUPPORT YOU MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER HOPE FOR.
YOU’VE LEARNED NO MATTER WHAT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU’RE STILL YOU. SAME FAMILY. SAME HOUSE. SAME PERSONALITY. EVEN IF YOU WISH YOU WEREN’T YOU, YOU STILL ARE. JUST AS SURE AS TREES GROW, AS THE SUN RISES, AND AS THE SAME FAMILY OF DEER WILL COME BY YOUR HOUSE EVERY NIGHT TO SNACK ON YOUR PEAR TREE. YOU’VE LEARNED THAT YOU’RE NOT ALONE, AND NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU MAY ACT, HOW STUPID, HOW IRRESPONSIBLE, HOW IMMATURE YOU MAY BE, YOU ARE LOVED. AND THAT’S A WONDERFUL THING.