Diana Reader

Dear Emily You taught me that reaching for external validation will always leave you empty and broken.  You challenged my thoughts, you questioned my beliefs.  You gave me the blessing to nourish without guilt.  You showed me that taking care of myself wasn't selfish.  You showed me what to look for in life, and you showed me that I'm already there. You taught me that vulnerability is beautiful. You allowed me to reach for goals but taught me that they do not define me.  In fact, you taught me that no one defines me.  You let me see that the world wouldn't shake if I didn't achieve perfection.  You gave me the freedom to seek life without constant belittlement.  You reminded me that we are all beautifully made, and when I rolled my eyes and pointed out your genericism, you pointed out my cynicism. You reminded me that we were meant for freedom. You taught me that people who need you are all around and everything I have discovered throug...

It's time for the inevitable bi-semester "Things Diana Has Learned" post. 1. Remember the stranger from the tram in "Things Diana Has Learned Part One?"  Ran into him again one dark morning.  Apparently he didn't recognize me, so he started the same conversation again.   I learned that you should always be grateful for classmates that rescue you in times of distress. 2. I learned to never accept free samples from vendors in the mall, especially because they'll probably tell you that you're not married because you have dry, damaged hair and need to buy their $200 straightener to fix that. 3. I learned that you've reached a breaking point when your professor says the word "duty" in class, so you whisper to your friend, "she said duty " just to be obnoxious.  She texts another friend in the class.  20 minutes later and the word "duty" said at least 15 more times by the professor (no joke), the friend next to you i...