Dear Smash-leigh,

Dear Smash-leigh,

You are my hometown hero-did you know this? I don’t have any friends who have known me as long as you have. I don’t have any friends who make me smile like you do either. We have made long and short mistakes in our 20 years as friends; some together, some apart. Your smarts and strength surpass mine, and always will. I thank you for the everyday friendly challenges you pose to me as my type of mentor. You are wild and tenacious, spontaneous and responsible, and most of all kind. Your community outreach inspires me the most. When you told me you won an award for your volunteering, I was in awe and wonder of you. I’ve met many kinds of people going from Wisconsin to living in New York and you never fail to amaze me. You think and support others so appropriately and your answers ring true so loudly to me through your actions. I wish to be more like you.

Did you know that you made lasting impressions on me? That your understandings of people lead to all avenues of justice and inclusivity? Your life experiences and general know-how have given you so many tools in which to interpret your world. I wish I could see and understand the way you do. Your personal growth and responsibilities to the ones you love have taught me so much. The way everyone puts there trusts in you and the way you never let them down makes my head spin. In a world where so many people do so many things, you never lose your balance. You are grounded, and never fail to understand.

Understanding is your superpower! I don’t know if you are aware of the effect you have on people, but I can only hope you know-at least to some degree, that your person is one of stability and know-how. Without you in my life I don’t think I would have made it through high school. Without you in my life, I doubt I would have been a good student. Your academic enthusiasm and love for all things weird doubles down all my bets on you to win! You are winning at your life, whether you know it or not.

If I could ever do an interview, these are the questions I would ask you. How do you cope with failure? Do you ever fail? How do you maintain your professionalism through difficult situations? Have you had many difficult situations? You seem to breeze through so much I can never tell. Who are your heroes and what are your aspirations? If I ever get to do this interview with you, I hope it will show me the insights I seek. For now, I will continue to guess how you keep it all together.

Using you as a person to emulate “keeping it together” has helped me grow into a better person and a sufficient adult. I have a long way to go on that adulting part, but I feel with you in my corner I will never be looked down upon for mistakes. I have made many throughout my learning process and you continue to be there. Some people are just late bloomers, and you have never cut me loose because of that.

In this open letter to you, I hope you feel good and excited. I hope you continue to find happiness and successes in your life. I hope you maintain yours loves and services to this community and to yourself. Most of all, I hope you continue to stay my friend. I value what we have as “siblings in theory.” At some point we were pretty much just that, and the times we have spent together never ever make me feel down or worthless. Thank you for being you.

Sincerely,

Kiki