When you’re on the outside of a situation, sometimes you see things differently than the people living through it. All of us have watched our friends go through tough situations. The most we can do is comfort them, be there to give advice and do our best to help them through it. Recently, I’ve watched one of the people closest to me go through a series of unfortunate events. I’ve decided to speak out in regards to it, and I hope that anyone that reads this can relate - and hopefully do the same for those in your lives that are struggling, as well.

To My Best Friend,

You have the most beautiful soul in the world. You are a shining light in a world of darkness. You are beautiful both on the inside and out, and you deserve the world. You give yourself to so many people, and while you make mistakes - you are a genuine person, and that’s worth applauding. You pour your heart into your passions - and your passions tend to include people.

I hurt with you, because you’re hurting. I will hug you for hours because you’re crying. I will watch all the movies with you because you don’t feel like talking. When you feel like talking, I will stop everything I’m doing and let you have those moments.

What I won’t do, is tell you I’m sorry. Why? Because you’re not who I feel sorry for. You knew what you wanted. You went for it. You took a risk regardless of if it was going to backfire or not. I admire you. I'm proud of you.

It sucks right now. Being hurt is the worst feeling in the world, but you’re stronger than this. You’re stronger than a coward who refuses to appreciate your worth. You’re deserving of more in this world than someone who runs from the beauty you create in this life. Never will I feel sorry for you because while this feels like the world is breaking, you’re not broken. You’re simply knocked down, but you’ll stand back up.

You’re strong. You’re beautiful. You're smart. You’re creative. You’re kind. You’re caring. You’re a visionary. You’re a lover. You’re a fighter. You’re perfect in your imperfections.

Don’t ever let someone dim your fire because they refuse to fight to keep their's lit.

To the Man Who Broke Her Heart,

I should be angry at you. She should be angry at you, but she’s not. She feels broken. She’s confused. She’s hurt. She would’ve given you the entire world if you’d let her. In fact, she tried to. You tossed her away for your own reasons - whether those reasons were the ones you gave her or some that you couldn’t figure out how to voice. I should hate you for how hurt she is. I should be mad at you for causing any amount of pain to a person that I love so very much. I should curse your name, encourage her to burn anything belonging to you and tell her to move on.

But I won’t.

I’m not angry at you. I’m sad for you. I feel sorry for you. When I think about you now, all I can think about is how you had the world in your hands - and you threw it away. Your indecision and cowardice have hurt the person I call my best friend, and I’m not angry with you. I feel sorry for you that something in your life has messed you up so badly that when given an opportunity to grow with her, you chose, instead, to dig a hole and crawl right back into it.

I get it, you’re scared, but fear is an excuse. Fear is nothing but a hurdle to jump over in this fast-paced race of life. You have so few years on this earth and you chose to hide behind it, rather than jump over it.

I pity you.

I pity that you potentially lost the best thing that would’ve ever happened to you, and I feel sorry for you that you have to deal with that mistake for the rest of your life.

I sincerely hope you find your way. Until you do, your world is going to be painfully dark, and I would never wish that life on anybody.