HI
To that person who made Junior High peacful.
AZI'S
BEFORE ANYTHING,
FOR YOUR EIGHTEENTH
（｡>‿‿<｡ ）
If you're reading this, I'm probably sitting in front of my laptop, barely functioning after missing one of the most important days of your life—your debut.
I'm sorry. I know I promised to give this day the attention it deserves, so please forgive me for not keeping my word.Still, happy birthday, Lianne!
I'll always be thankful to Ma'am Melissa for allowing the two of us to meet. Y'know, these past few years, a lot of things have happened. One moment, we were really close; then the next, we barely talked. Funny how we've grown almost separately, yet together. We had different circles, different stories, and perhaps different versions of ourselves that not everyone got to know. It's strange how two people can spend so much time in the same place and still end up walking through life on different paths.
Perhaps senior high school was a mess for this friendship. But it was also the time when you, especially, began to show everyone what you were capable of. You maximized your potential and proved that you had so much more to offer than people might have realized. And I hope you never stop discovering just how much more you're capable of becoming.
Yannie, gosh, I'm genuinely glad I got to meet you. I may not always be there beside you, especially now, and I'm sorry for that. But know that I'll always be rooting for you, even from afar. I may not witness every little victory, hear every story, or be present in every chapter of your life, but I'll always be happy to know that you're doing well.
Actually, there's a popular myth that bees shouldn't be able to fly because of how their bodies compare to their wings. I hope you'll be like that, Lia. I hope you'll keep going even when life gets difficult, even when you begin to doubt yourself, and even when the things you want seem too far out of reach.
But while you're busy becoming everything you want to be, please don't forget to rest. Don't exhaust yourself trying to embrace everything this world has to offer. The moon goes through phases, and yet we never stop calling it beautiful. You know, you don't have to have everything figured out to be worthy of love. You don't have to be strong every day, happy every moment, or composed all the time. Even on days when you feel like you're falling behind, you're still growing. You are still worthy of every good thing life has to offer.
And speaking of things life has to offer, let me talk about this, too.
Sometimes, we miss a train because we arrive too late. Other times, we miss it because we were never meant to be on it in the first place. And sometimes, we spend so much time watching the train leave that we fail to notice the next one arriving. I hope you'll remember that whenever life doesn't go the way you planned, especially when it comes to love. Well, some people come into our lives to teach us things we wouldn't have learned otherwise, even if the lessons hurt more than we expected.
Particularly him, I'd say.
Don't get me wrong. I sometimes wonder what made you fall for him that much. I mean, he's a nice guy, but I don't think you deserved the heartbreak you went through because of him. And although I may never fully understand what you saw in him, I know that what you felt was real, and that makes what you went through no less valid.
But let's cut that topic short. I hope that soon—okay, soon, all right?—you'll find the man who's truly meant for you. Someone who won't make you question your worth, someone who will choose you without making you beg for the bare minimum, and someone who will make love feel like a safe place rather than another thing you have to recover from. I pray that no other man will ever tear you apart like that again. May life be gentle with your heart, and may you never have to shrink yourself just to be loved by someone else.
Happy birthday once again, Lianne. I wish you all the best, all the good things in life, and all the courage to pursue the things your heart desires. I hope this new chapter brings you more reasons to smile, more opportunities to grow, and more people who will love you the way you deserve to be loved.
And yes, I know. We may not be as close as we once were, and perhaps life will continue to take us in different directions. But I'm glad our paths crossed, and I'm even more grateful that, somehow, they continue to cross despite everything that has changed.
Be safe, always. Take care of yourself, and don't forget to enjoy the life you're working so hard to build.
I love you, Yannie.
P.S. I made those sunflowers, haha! And just like those flowers, I hope you'll continue to be a ray of sunshine to the people around you. Never forget that you can bring warmth into other people's lives just by being yourself.
I love you, Yannie ♡