To Catherine:

Honestly, I didn’t think you would ever get there.
I always knew you were going to make it work, I never doubted that, but going to the place takes courage.
Not that I didn’t think you were courageous.
You’ve just always been so nice.
Being nice has always been your superpower but it holds you back. How could you get to the truth when you are always so easy to stomp?
You proved me wrong.
You did it nicely.
You made it to the place without having to do it at someone else’s expense.
Sometimes on your own.
The crimes that have been done to you were not fair nor easy to move forward from, but you still did it.
I find it impressive.
I thought you had to be a certain type of person to move there, one that’s not selfless because how could a selfless person achieve anything for themselves?
You did it with blows to the face.
I’m sorry I doubted you, but thank you for doing it anyway.
It taught me something about myself that I’m not proud of.
That I make assumptions about people.
That nice people get walked all over until they aren’t nice anymore.
But you never had shame wiping the dirt off people’s feet.
You did it pridefully.
You wanted to, that was helping you help yourself get there.
I get it now.
Thank you for not getting discouraged, I know I must have not been helpful in that way.
I know I wanted to make fun of you for being who you are.
Thank you for showing me the way.
I’m going to follow you with the same compassion for others.
I’ll take the punches you did and I’ll make it there just as honestly.
I don’t need to be the type of person I thought I did to get there.
I just need to be nice, like you.
Thank you.
You were really nice to me when I needed you and I never forgot it.
See you when I get there.
I’m sorry I teased you when we were kids.
You didn’t deserve that.

From: Catherine