Oh, my sweetest SB. I don't yet have the words for this, but give me some time. What I can say is that this digital love is so substantial and that you have activated this space for me and my writing in ways you will never know. I currently have a draft of a Substack post from last month about losing friendships that was so hard to write that I dissociated and it remains in my drafts. Then, you appear, a shimmering sprout of timely brilliance. Reading this and knowing that I have a mirrored heart out in the world, living nearly the same life as me is bizarre, liberating, terrifying (because you're a dramatically better writer!!!) shrinking, empowering, and affirming. I will print this out and mark it up and revisit it again and again. Friendship is... complex. All my love, every abundant ounce. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
thank you aisha, always ! for your generosity and uncannily well-timed writing that feel like small precious rocks i find and hold in my pocket for a long while after, to return to, to hold. yesterday i met a newly found friend of my best friend (who always says, “if there is such a thing as a best friend, then mijntje is my best friend” is there such a thing ? should there be ? i’m a fire sign so i’d like to think so ...) and they expressed their obsession with rocks, that they can look so unlike how they actually feel. they shared a folder on their phone where they kept all their rock photos, they were so proud to show us, it felt so genuine and generous and so i plan to visit the natural history museum in vienna before i leave here to gaze at their rock collection (apparently three big rooms full of them !) -- just to share a precious moment from an unexpected friend and the gentle reminder to take a closer look at rocks and especially to imagine how they might feel ...
I've thought about this a lot since I first read it... especially when on beaches, which I have been a lot thankfully. Thanks for sharing this perfect moment with me!
Oh, my sweetest SB. I don't yet have the words for this, but give me some time. What I can say is that this digital love is so substantial and that you have activated this space for me and my writing in ways you will never know. I currently have a draft of a Substack post from last month about losing friendships that was so hard to write that I dissociated and it remains in my drafts. Then, you appear, a shimmering sprout of timely brilliance. Reading this and knowing that I have a mirrored heart out in the world, living nearly the same life as me is bizarre, liberating, terrifying (because you're a dramatically better writer!!!) shrinking, empowering, and affirming. I will print this out and mark it up and revisit it again and again. Friendship is... complex. All my love, every abundant ounce. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I never know quite what to say to you but rest assured I am blushing hard and working up to sending you an email... x
thank you aisha, always ! for your generosity and uncannily well-timed writing that feel like small precious rocks i find and hold in my pocket for a long while after, to return to, to hold. yesterday i met a newly found friend of my best friend (who always says, “if there is such a thing as a best friend, then mijntje is my best friend” is there such a thing ? should there be ? i’m a fire sign so i’d like to think so ...) and they expressed their obsession with rocks, that they can look so unlike how they actually feel. they shared a folder on their phone where they kept all their rock photos, they were so proud to show us, it felt so genuine and generous and so i plan to visit the natural history museum in vienna before i leave here to gaze at their rock collection (apparently three big rooms full of them !) -- just to share a precious moment from an unexpected friend and the gentle reminder to take a closer look at rocks and especially to imagine how they might feel ...
I've thought about this a lot since I first read it... especially when on beaches, which I have been a lot thankfully. Thanks for sharing this perfect moment with me!