Words people carried until they left them here.

To Leah

I Am Sorry I Was Afraid to Visit

I told myself I would visit when you felt better. The truth is that I was afraid. I did not know what to say. I did not want to see the illness change you. I kept waiting f...

To My former boss

You Called It Leadership

You called it leadership when you embarrassed people in meetings. You said pressure made us better. You praised loyalty while expecting us to answer messages at midnight. You...

To You

I Knew We Were Over When I Was Not Invited

I learned you were getting married from social media. For a moment, I thought the invitation had been lost. Then I saw the photos of people we both knew and understood. We h...

To Miss Hughes

Words sometimes hurt

Dear Miss Hughes, You probably do not remember what you said to me, but I do. Your words stayed with me longer than they should have. I was young, and I believed you. I...

To The older version of me

I Hope We Built a Gentle Home

I hope our home is gentle. Not perfect. Not always tidy. Just gentle. I hope people can make mistakes without the whole room changing temperature. I hope children, if we have...

To My twelve-year-old self

You Were Not Difficult

You were not difficult. You were overwhelmed, observant, and trying to survive rooms where adults expected you to understand things they refused to explain. They called you...

To You

I Did Not Text You on Your Birthday

Your birthday came and went. I typed the message three times. Happy birthday. I hope you are doing well. Then I deleted it. The words looked harmless, but we both know they...

To Jen

A goodbye hurt so much

I was 23 when you moved away. At the time I didn't realize I was losing you. I thought we would still talk and see each other again. I thought somehow things would work out an...

To My ex

I Found the Box You Returned

I found the box you returned after we broke up. It was in the back of the closet under winter coats. Inside were two books, a sweatshirt, a charger that was not mine, and the...

To My former best friend

You Told the One Thing I Asked You to Keep

I trusted you with the one story I could barely say out loud. You held my hand while I told you. You promised it would stay between us. Two weeks later, people who had no rig...

To You

I Stopped Waiting for Your Apology

I wish you knew how much your silence changed me.

To Sam

After All These Years, I Still Know Your Laugh

I still think about you, even though I know I should not.

To The woman on the train

To the Stranger Who Sat Beside Me

You sat beside me while I was trying not to cry. You did not ask what was wrong. You handed me a tissue and looked out the window, giving me privacy without leaving me alone....

To The person who kept me waiting

I Love You, but There Is No Place for Me in Your Life

I finally understand that loving me privately is not the same as choosing me. You gave me just enough to keep hope alive. A late-night call. A promise that things would be di...

To You

I Still Leave the Porch Light On

I do not leave the porch light on because I think you are coming back. I know better now. I leave it on because some habits begin as hope and slowly turn into memory. There w...

To My brother

Your Controller Is Still in the Drawer

Your game controller is still in the drawer at Mom's house. No one uses it. No one moves it. It has become one of those objects the whole family silently agrees not to touc...

Why didn't you just listen?

Why didn't you just listen? Your life would have been much easier.

To The person I almost built a life with

Maybe We Were Right in the Wrong Season

I keep wondering whether we failed each other or simply met before either of us knew how to stay. You were not cruel. I was not careless. We were tired, proud, and frightened...