Melissa, I imagine that coming back to your childhood home but missing the comfort of the parents who raised you in it is so difficult. I can see how the rooms that once brought you happiness and a sense of safety could become oppressive and bleak in their absence. I am glad that you were able to find that light again and make it yours. Thank you for sharing your experience!

I absolutely love the way you set up this piece as a story about finding yourself through sorting through all the things you carry with you. I think that we all carry baggage that isn’t even ours, and if we really sit down and think about what we actually need, our load would be much lighter. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Lauren, I think that a lot of people who spend time in hospitals see them as the enemy, but we can learn so much within those walls. We try to avoid them because we know that when we are there, we are in crisis. Despite this, they provide us with the reset we need to be our best selves. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Cheri, your college experience sounds like it was exactly what it should be! You figured out what you wanted to do with your life, and you figured out how to love yourself better. I love how you say that SLO “helped me fall in love with me”. That is the most important part of finding happiness. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Glenda, Kinloch surely sounds like a beautiful place to live. To grow up somewhere that really values community and helping your neighbors must have been very special. Though society has changed a lot over time, I think we can still find glimpses of this sense of community around us. Thank you for sharing your story!

Elle, I have so many memories in libraries, and they all bring me a sense of peace that is hard to find elsewhere. When I was a little girl, a trip to the public library during the first week of summer break left me feeling excited for all the adventures I would embark on in the coming weeks, even if they were all from the comfort of my home. Thank you for sharing this beautiful and relatable piece!

Rivka, this is a powerful and moving letter to a place that made an impact on you, but also a place that I can tell you’ve made an impact on as well. By sharing your experience, you help others realize the needs that are not being met for these children and garner more support for them. Thank you!

Danielle, this is a beautiful and moving letter to a quiet corner that holds you when you need it to. Until we experience life-changing grief, it is hard to understand just how much it can impact our daily lives. I am glad that your faith helps you find comfort and peace no matter how hard things might get. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Melissa, I’ve always found the idea of tiny living so interesting! Being able to limit the space you occupy and the stuff within the walls seems like a great opportunity to take stock of what is important to you. You didn’t expect to find yourself in that situation, but you ended up realizing who you really are. Thank you for sharing your inspiring story!

Chelsea, your story is one that no one should ever experience. I cannot imagine what you went through in those four walls with someone you thought you could trust. I am glad that despite the pain you endured, you found the strength and resilience you needed to keep it from defining your future. I wish you all the best. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Jonah, thank you so much for your service to this country. Brave men and women like you are the reason we can enjoy the freedoms we are entitled to. I cannot imagine what you experienced in Iraq, but I am glad that you were able to find a small comfort in your home there. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Susanna, this experience sounds like it completely changed your way of life. We never know when one little moment might give us the push we need to grow spiritually. While you thought you were there to meet a handsome man, you were really there to find peace! Thank you for sharing your story.

This is a beautiful letter to a room that made an impact on your life, no matter how small or fleeting. Sometimes we find ourselves at home in places that are not ours, and this usually happens for a reason. I hope that you are able to feel this same place somewhere else as well! Thank you for sharing your experience.

Melody, I have had similar feelings surrounding my own family’s contributions to the privileges I have today. While I certainly have worked hard to reach my goals and aspire to my dreams, I would never have had the opportunity to in the first place were it not for the work they put in before me. Thank you for sharing your unique yet relatable experience!

Julianna, it is so wonderful that though you love the places you’ve lived, you are comfortable enough with yourself to know that ultimately, you can find happiness wherever you are. I love the way you described small-town living. It truly is nice to know there are neighbors who will help you out when you need it. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Lyla, you are so brave for realizing that you needed to let Minneapolis go in order to grow and become the person you are meant to be. Like you said, you can always return one day once you know who you are without the place that helped shape you. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Jennifer, this story brought me to tears. As a mother myself, I can understand how the labor and delivery room helped you to realize a strength you weren’t aware of previously. Moments that are simultaneously beautiful, scary, and tragic usually impact our lives more than any others. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Amanda, I love this story so much. It could be the beginning of a romance novel for sure! I am glad that IKEA somehow opened up your mind and your heart so that you could start a new journey with your love. I wish you all the happiness! Thank you for sharing.

This is a beautiful and interesting viewpoint on a city I’ve always dreamed of visiting. I hope that if I ever make it to Paris, I will find a piece of it that speaks to me in the way you did. While being a tourist definitely helps you check off a box, finding the lesser-known beauty in the city lets you connect to it. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Jazelle, I had never heard of Seldovia before, so I looked it up after reading your letter. What a beautiful town! It surely does seem like the kind of place that can revitalize the soul. I am glad that it helped you find your happiness and love yourself fully. Thank you for inspiring me and sharing your experience!