Okay sorry that finals got my ass in a serious way… only blog for december,
but I’m going to try and make it worth your while (maybe).
I had a really exhausting end of the semester and I am almost proud of all
of the work that I submitted. I am really excited to have ⅔ of my credits
next semester be passion projects. I also am so so so proud of my relationships.
I really really love my friends. And I just felt even when I was so alone during
finals week, just really secure in my relationships and all the beauty they have
brought into my life. I also had great family time and it was hard bc gender, as
it always is, but it was also really really nice to be with people who I see myself
in. I am glad to have today to rest and recharge.
[super personal-romantic gush ahead]
I did my semesterly scrapbook today. Last night I showed my scrapbook to
two of my friends and I was a little embarrassed that I had like two pages
dedicated to an ex throughout the scrapbook. But then this morning when I went
through my scrapbook again, I read the letters that made up the second pages. I didn’t
feel embarrassed at all which has been a really primary emotion I have been feeling
about this particular ex. Instead, I felt really grateful, maybe it wasn’t so terrible
to learn new things about myself and to try and give my love to someone even though
it was hard and I was really not in a place to do that. It felt good to read kind
words from someone I cared a lot about (and still do!) and it made me feel like
maybe it doesn’t have to be all bad. Like yeah the relationship was far from great
and I am not proud of how I acted, but also maybe I was deserving of care and
affection and maybe I made someone happy, even if I doubt I make her happy now.
I think that can be worth it. I think that no matter how hard and far from perfect
it was, that it was worth it, because affection can be so transformative.
I thought I would take out one of those pages, but instead I went back to my
tiny purple bag of hidden notes from another ex, and added another page around
her time. If one ex gets two pages, certainly it is worth it to give the ex
that really changed my life a little more air time. I am so glad that I am
single because I get all this time to process the way that love has impacted
me. And I know that I want all love to be important to me and it is, but I
do think there is something about romantic love that I don’t want to hide
as a big part of why I am the way I am. I decided to add some personal mementos
from my first love in the scrapbook because I am not hurting anymore and
I’m not embarrassed to have loved and lost because the love was so important
to me. I think that next time people go through my scrapbook
I will be really proud to have been loved and to have loved and that
romantic love doesn’t have to be hidden just because it goes away.