a letter to you, wanderer

wanderer

 You are small, and others like to make sure you know.

Their words are like razors against your skin, razors and red like the many hours you've spent alone in your room. They snuff out the lights in your eyes, they pry open your jaws and they breathe venom into your veins. They tell you that you are worthless, but they cannot say anything to you that is worse than what you tell yourself at night when the void is calling you.

It is calling you, isn't it? I know. It calls you to the edge, it sings pretty promises of your problems disappearing like ash in the wind. All you have to do is grow wings when the night is cold, when the world is black. And it invites you to close your eyes and fly off of this bridge. Nobody can hurt you here.

I know. I know, wanderer, because I look at you and I see myself.

My blood flows alongside venom. My wrists are stained with streaks that I hide behind sleeves. Nobody can ever tell me anything worse than what I tell myself, and the void calls my feet off of bridges too.

I'll tell you this. The void is not your friend. I promise. Those pretty promises it sings in your ear at night are all lies. They're pretty lies, like soft roses, but a lie is a lie and flowers wither.

They are wrong to say the things they say to you. You are not worthless. These things you tell yourself are wrong. You do not deserve to be in pain, you do not deserve to hurt.

You might not believe it, wanderer, but your spirit embodies such vibrant stunning splendor. You are the only you that will ever exist. There will never be a perfect replacement for you in all the eons to come. Every star and every galaxy aligned so that you can be here now. It's amazing. Think about it. You are here, and you belong. Of everything in this universe, you are you. You are an integral part of something absolutely extraordinary.

Your place is here. The universe loves you. You are cosmically intertwined with all the world and everyone in it. Wanderer, you will find your way. Listen to what I say and know that I mean it.

You are lost right now.

You are not meant to live in this darkness that you do. You are meant to burn bright in fantastic, inspiring ways that you will one day understand. Maybe I will too.

Wanderer, be lost. And from it learn. Take the time to understand. Understand yourself and your meaning and your purpose. There are good things in you, and there are galaxies that exist that are unique to you.

You deserve to be seen, you deserve to be admired and treasured.

Wanderer, don't leave this world a stranger. The void is not your friend, and it will not snuff out your galaxies. Not tonight.