From One Friend To Another

Dearest Heather Hubler,

As I write to You, my time on Vocal is drawing to a close. It's heart breaking knowing that I'll eventually be saying goodbye to many a friend. I've done this once before, but the lingering pain still stings. It's disheartening knowing that our moments together are numbered, and soon their memories will eventually fade away into the abyss.

A long time ago I went by a different face, a different name. I was with a different group of people then, and we played a different game.

When I first started my journey on this platform I initially had no friends, my only subscriber was myself for the longest period of time, and the only people hearting my stories was the Vocal review team. Eventually, I had a coworker of mine subscribe to me, wishing to hear all about of my stories too, saying "Oh my gosh, I'm going to know somebody famous!" Yet, they never read. C'est la vie.

Heather, what You have given me is more than I could ever put into words. As I continued my adventures here, as the platform grew and changed (for the better and worse, mind You), I eventually belonged to a group of friends, with You being one of them.

Much like how You are to Your own children, You opened Your bosom to me providing a place of comfort, rest, and genuine feedback. You were never afraid to challenge me nor to humble me. For that You have my gratitude. You were never stern nor afflicting, but You were always firm and providing of Yourself to me and to us, the many that are here on Vocal.

I remember when I first read one of Your works. I was astounded beyond belief. As You're one of the many writers that I constantly look up to. You have a mastery of language that which I grow envious of, but I will always admire first and foremost. Upon comparison to myself, I considered my own works to be mere child's play. Cue Steve Martin's "Playing With The Big Boys." Yet, through it all, You've praised me for my quick, creative, wit and commentary.

Your poems always tugged on my heartstrings in unexpected ways, and Your stories provide an emotional depth that makes the Mariana Trench jealous. Your words of art paint sceneries in which even images provided with entire vocabularies are incapable of fulfilling on their own.

Heather, You and Your works are meant for more. You've established an audience and established it well, but Vocal, in its current state, doesn't have the entire audience that yearns for You.

This is why I am also leaving, in due time.

When I arrived here I was looking for a place to get used to publishing, to having the entire world have access to my creations; the good, the bad, and the ugly. In the process, I lost sight of my dreams.

I desire to be an author. Someone who's stories You could find at Your local store, and casually pull off the shelf being enticed into a universal world exuding exciting, amazing, wonders capable of eliciting every emotion conceivable lying deep within us at just the flip of a page.

Here, I found parts of myself, but I also sacrificed much too. What I've learned is not to lose sight of my original goals, of my dreams. If I want to achieve success I have to attain it myself and not wait for it to be granted to me.

I'll still be around, but just not as much. On occasion I'll publish a few things here and there. Still, if You see a heart and maybe an overly elongated original crafted essay like comment, just know that I've been reading and that my heart's been impressed.

Thankfully Yours,

With Love,

Thavien Yliaster