to the woman who listened

#whatcanisayexceptyourewelcome

To the woman who listened to me when I was afraid I was unloved:
     Thank you for telling me I was loved and that I belonged.

To the woman who listened to me when I was afraid I was stupid:
     Thank you for applauding my hard work, my awards, and my achievements, for reminding me of how much I have done with my “stupid” brain, and for always telling me no . . . I am not stupid.

To the woman who listened to me when I was afraid I was a failure:
     Thank you for reminding me that I am not. Thank you for reminding me of my own strength and tenacity.

To the woman who listened to me when I was foolish and infatuated:
     Thank you for not telling me to shut up even though I should have and you probably wanted me to.

To the woman who listened to me when I desperately asked for prayer for healing from my heartache, my anxiety, my depression; for release from the pain of graduate school and its pressure:
     Thank you for always praying, every time I asked.

To the woman who listened to me when terror consumed me that my broken past made me unable to love someone without anxiety:
     Thank you for reminding me that we all have baggage and that we can still fight it.

To the woman who listened to me when I was afraid I was unwanted because of my size:
     Thank you for telling me instead, “My friend, you are a beautiful person. I know that everything in society wants to make you feel like you have to be this or that to be loved, but you don't. . . . You are perfect the way you are and everyone who comes into contact with you is blessed by you.”

To the woman who listened to me:
     Thank you for being my best friend, Hallie.