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Jovana Velazco's avatar

“Love has a way of doing that—turning someone from merely a synopsis into a full novel”. “It’s strange how a person can love merely a phase of us—a fraction of the person we will become”. Oh my god this hit SO deep. What a lovely way of describing something so hard to recognize and embrace. In my case I am a lover of nostalgia and I carry it with me anywhere, but sometimes it’s complicated to remember things and people that hurt me so much. Even though, I know still I have all this love that once was for them and it never went away, it just changed. Thank you for writing this, for putting such a complex experience in such precise words 💗

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Fathima Jaleel's avatar

Yessss.. Finallllyyy.. Thank youuu!!!

This had to be said! If being stupid bought me joy in that picture maybe it was okay to be stupid for a bit. Stupid isn't always bad. Happy stupid can be good stupid.

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Joanna's avatar

This is so beautifully, honestly written. I also cringe at exes who weren’t the right choice… but by doing that I’m inexplicably shaming myself. I did the best I could with the knowledge that I had. I was brave and tried my hand at love. Thank you for sharing your writing 🙏

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Brenna's avatar

Wow, this reflection is magnificent. "She was merely an unfinished sketch mistaken for the final draft". Thank you for sharing.

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J.M. Collins's avatar

What a great perspective! One I definitely never thought of before - as someone that is sooooo far from past loves and sooo deep into this current one (22 years deep) I rarely think about before, but if I did I’d do it with a negative eye. You’re right yesterday me, led me to today and there is something really beautiful about that!

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gaby green's avatar

"Sometimes, now, I wonder if those I once loved would love the version of me that exists now." oh my god that makes me want to cry. Such a accurate feeling and perfectly said.

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Breanna Smith's avatar

Again, you are hitting me right to the heart here! So much talent and nuance in these words.

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lulii's avatar

reading your article has changed my way to see the past and heal an inner part of myself somehow, thank you.

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Shordy's avatar

I agree but I also do believe that a person can change, maybe what they're past self thought it was happiness, but now that they've grown and matured, they realised that it wasn't ACTUALLY happiness instead just a distraction to something depressing. Theyre mad at the fact they foolishly BELIEVED they were happy.

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sara's avatar

at one point a silly boy made us happy, and that moment stays preserved forever, no matter how the relationship transpires. those experiences stay with us regardless of whether it works out or not - and usually it works out for us in the long run, just not in the way we expect it to. it’s okay to reminisce over a happy moment and not want to go back to the person you shared that happy moment with. this is a great piece :)

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Foxymoron's avatar

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful essay. I couldn't agree more. And you've warmed me up to Sally Rooney, whom I've dismissed ever since I read Normal People

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Ava Perez's avatar

I read this at just the right time! This was beautiful!

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Pana's avatar

I deleted most of the pictures of the person I once loved months ago, just a few hours ago before reading this , I was in the same room as them. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know them and sadly I couldn’t to them like I’ve caressed the tattoo on their chest…

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Geke Roggeveen's avatar

Even though I'm a little older than you (just turned 64 in april 😉) I love what you write about and it's so beautifully written. Such great insights for a young person too. Feels as if you're writing down what I'm feeling, I'm captured from the first word. I hope to read lots and lots more of you.

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Nagaramama's avatar

Amen. It would be fashionable to be cynical. But it's a terrible way to live.

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Pri Caech's avatar

Remember me as a person who is capable of that kind of love, motivates me to keep finding love in every detail of my life. <3 beautiful writing, thank you.

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