You’re a little heartbroken right now, and while I’m crying with you, I know that it will forever be my favorite thing about you; your capacity for love. You never lose sight of it & it takes root in your spirit that grows into such beautiful experiences. You read the books, you watch the movies, you laugh at the concerts, and you whisper to yourself “it exists”. You should never be embarrassed of that.
The other day, you saw one of those “Hey Girl” Ryan Gosling memes, and you giggled so loud in a quiet coffeeshop, as if it was just for you. I really love that about you. How you laugh at the small things. How your laugh is the best one in the room.
I love how you commit to a bit. You were so committed, that you turned 30 this year surrounded by friends dressed as your celebrity crushes and I really love looking at your smile in those photos.
You love the f**k out of mystery bags (of any variety), even if it’s something you’re not necessarily into, like say… gardening. You’ll buy a bag anyway just to see. Maybe that’ll be the bag that changes everything. You never know.
You have the dorkiest way to put together an outfit and honestly… it’s the best. It’s cute & hilarious at times, like a “this looks like a more fashionable version of [x]…” kind of quirky. Never stop being a dork please.
Nicole, I know you’re terrified for what happens next, yet you’re still reading ahead so full of hope & love. That takes a certain kind of bravery that is getting harder to find these days. I’m so proud of you.
I wish it didn’t hurt you like it did, but the best thing about living in a universal experience is simply that you exist. See you next year, boo.