Valerie

Dearest Valerie,

I know we've never met in person, yet I occasionally feel as if I've known you for years. The first time I ever saw you, was through the eyes of an old lover. The look in your eyes...said it all for me in that moment in time. I remember being 18 and watching you sing and dance in front of the mirror, only to turn around and realize you were being recorded by someone you truly loved. The sparkle in your eyes I soon craved. I wanted to feel what you felt. I allowed myself to be vulnerable enough to be loved by the same person who loved you, somehow thinking, I'd one day, wear that sparkle too. My sparkle arrived, I wore it with pride. We fell in love and made a baby. Things became complicated, my sparkle faded, it was no longer a reflection of my happiness, but a prelude to my heart breaks...piling up, one by one. I missed all the other things that happened behind the scenes, the parts where he hurt you, the texts from you explaining how all of his decisions have made you feel. I've learned so much from you, despite ever having met you. xoxo.