Love the guy, but basically blur out Vincent and you see that girl on the side?
Her name is Amanda and she’s my sister.
I could write paragraphs about her and our memories and our eight years of friendship.
I’ll just leave it at this: She stuck by me loyally through the hardest times of my life. She stuck by me even when she really shouldn’t have.
I’d give my life for her and I don’t deserve her.
And I’ll never, ever have a best friend that I love and adore more than her.
We’ll be friends forever.
Always.
Paint marker and Sharpie art on Derian’s arms.
I wish I had more recollection of these nights— I wish I had more photos.
But I was always so busy on the Thursday nights that I never had time to take photos.
The youth workers back home were my family.
Danny, Derian, Carmen and Shauna.
They brought my family big, baskets of clothing and food when we were struggling.
They took me out for dinner on nights we didn’t have food in the house.
They showed me that I was loved endlessly. And that I’m worth something in the world.
And without them, I would have been long gone a long time ago— and that’s a fact.
I wish there was more than just telling them how much they mean to me. I would give them, all four of them the world if I could.
I really would.
This is my cousin Russell. He is two, almost three.
I wrote him a letter once— one for him to read when he is much older.
If I even think about killing myself, he’s the number one thing holding me back.
There’s no Hallmark card for that.
But for now I’ll just cuddle him close, sing to him, because pure, untainted love from a child is the best form of therapy.
