Hey, you.

It's been a tough year, I won't put that past you. Obstacles have been thrown in your way in ways we never would've imagined. You've moved on, you've hung back, had your heart broken (and broken hearts, too). You've excelled in beautiful ways, and you've fallen harder than ever. Looking back, I'm sure your knees are more scarred than they've ever been.

I hate reflecting on the past and being bitter, but it's time to. I'm disappointed in you.

I have waited and waited for you to come back, and you have yet to. I let you wander, I let you search, and I let you stumble because I expected you to come home.

You haven't.

You've crashed through the doors of homes you don't belong in, and you've made your bed in the corner, hoping no one notices that you're cold. That you're hungry. That you're alone.

You're hoping they only see you when you're sparkling... because the sparkle is all for them.

But your bed in the corner can only last for so long before it gets in the way-- and you can't keep bouncing from house to house and making a temporary spot for the sake of comfort. You have a home. Come back to it.

The love you hand out is beautiful, it's full. You put it on display like the prized Christmas gift in the front window, letting the shoppers point in amazement and say "There! Look at that! That's what I've always wanted!"

You give them what they've always wanted. And it drains you.

For the sake of your heart, I need you to listen to me: you do not have to be what everyone wants. Pleasing them is not your job,

I hate watching you from a distance, and seeing you find your worth in the love you receive. The love you pour out is wealthy-- it is bulked up, healthy, full... it's all you've got. And the love you get back is often so empty.

Do not find your worth in this emptiness. You are so much more. Love is unconditional: you have to stop waiting for your portion to come around... because sometimes it won't.

I need you to notice the way your eyes sparkle and fill with water when you're excited, because I know everyone else does. I need you to pay attention to the way your voice gets soft when you're nervous, and the way it builds with confidence when you grow strong. And I'm begging you to take note of the fact that people hug you for a few seconds longer than average... because your embrace often feels like home. And home is security..

But I need you to be home; to be secure for yourself.

Falling in love is never easy. It's a road filled with cracked pavement and thorns, and bumps and bruises. It gets dark, and you'll get lost until the sun comes up again. But this road is so beautiful in time... and when you get there, I promise it'll be worth it.

I've spent too long being disappointed in you, and I'm ready to be proud of you again. I'm ready to see that sparkle in your eyes in the same shimmering light everyone else does.

It's time to fall back in love with you. Please, for your own sake.

Are you in?