To my Friend, A Survivor,

Firstly, I would just like to say that your strength amazes me. Your ability to wake up every day and tunnel through the pain and fear of your past, simply amazes me. And sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry that this happened to you.

I watched you go through your own kind of hell, day after day, hopelessly devoted to someone who treated you like your existence was a burden. I listened to your complaints and tear stained conversations about how he got mad at you for not answering his phone call, yet he could go hours unaccounted for...

I shook my head in disbelief as I watched you allow yourself to be treated like someone who was undeserving of love, a devoted partner, and a happy life. And I cried for you, prayed for you, and hoped that one day you would see the evil in his eyes, hear the venomous lies he was spewing from his mouth, and find the courage and strength to say enough is enough, and walk away.

Then one day, you did. Maybe his lies finally sank it, you were finally tired of it, and maybe you just had the right amount of support to leave. Regardless, you did it. The days and nights after were long, bitterness took over, tears were shed for a one-sided love, and questions were asked: “Why wasn’t I good enough, what’s so wrong with me, will I ever be good enough for someone, how will I survive?”

Well, look at you-- surviving, living, breathing, free. The pain he caused you lurks in the back of your mind, creeps up at the worst times-- but you’re here. Maybe a little damaged, but better than ever. You’ve quickly become the strongest person I know, taking chances on people that you wouldn’t have months ago, letting yourself breathe. Letting yourself be loved by friends, family, and one day-- maybe not today-- an actual man.

I love you. Not in the “I want to marry you” way. In the, “I care about you, I’d be a mess without you, I need you, and you inspire me” kind of way. You inspire me to stand up for my beliefs and not let anyone take them (or anything) away from me. You’ve taught me that strength isn’t just having a muscle, it’s knowing when you have had enough. Tears don’t mean that you’re weak, they just mean you have emotions-- because in fact, you are not a robot.

You’ve taught me that love is a powerful emotion that can make or break a person. In loving someone, you are handing them this fragile piece of you and trusting them not to damage, take advantage, or ruin it.

Most importantly, you’ve taught me that at the end of the day, you don’t need to forget your past, pretend it didn’t happen, or keep it a secret from the world. It made you who you are. Sometimes, they connect you to people you never would have known otherwise.

Thank you, for being my daily inspiration and more importantly, a survivor.

Love,

Your Inspired Friend