The Book Of Misfits

(3) Dear Diary

June 8th, 2003

Dear Future Self,

Today, my world shattered into a thousand fragments. Mom and Dad sat me down, their faces filled with sorrow and regret. They told me they're ending their marriage. My heart broke instantly, and it felt like an endless stabbing pain. I don't understand. Why can't they stay together and be happy like other families?

I cried so much. Streams of tears rolled down my face, and I couldn't stop them, not even at school or on the playground. I thought maybe it was all my fault. Maybe if I had been a better daughter, they would have stayed together. I wish I could make them love each other again.

Everything feels horrible now. It's like a bomb fell on our house and destroyed everything. I don't know how to fix it. I don't want things to change. I just want our family to be whole again.

I'm scared. I have so many questions. Will Mom move away? Will I still see Dad every day? Where will I live? Will my friends still like me? I don't have any answers. I can't even imagine what it's like for you, ten or twenty years from now. I'm sorry that you'll have to go through all this pain and despair.

I miss the way things used to be. I miss our family dinners and movie nights. I miss hearing their laughter together. Now, it's all silence and sadness. I don't know how to deal with this. I feel so lost and alone. I wish I could turn back time and make everything right again. But I can't.

It's not fair. I don't know if I can ever trust love again. If it can just break apart like this, then maybe it's not real. Maybe it's all just pretend.

I don't want to write anymore. It hurts too much. I hope tomorrow will be a better day, but right now, everything feels dark and scary.

Goodnight, future me.
Sincerely,
You

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August 28th, 2023

Hey Beautiful,

I know you're scared, even terrified. Heck, I've been there. But let me break some unbelievable news. Funny as it's sounds, I'm writing you this with a heart brimming with relief and gratitude that they went each on their way. You would have never foreseen this, me wishing they broke free sooner, them ending this suffocating partnership. Have you?

My dear, we witnessed all the awful shades their loveless marriage could cast. We saw how it dimmed their souls and stifled their happiness. Watching them live every day in resentments, regrets, and grudges was an unbearable burden. The weight of their broken union needed to be lifted. It had to end.

In the coming years, you'll learn that it takes courage to break a bond that brings more sorrow than joy. The chains holding them together needed not remain. With them parting ways, it will feel easier to breathe. I know it sounds insane, and you'll think I've lost my mind. But trust me, love, you will grow to understand that happiness does not have to conform to societal stereotypes. It's perfectly fine to come from a broken home as long as you emerge strong and determined.

You will embrace the beauty and power that comes from carving your own path and having an unwavering resolve. It took me many tears to realize that the greatest act of love is letting go, but here I am, on the other side, reborn.

Kid, you are free to write your own story-one of resilience, self-discovery, and unapologetic happiness. Their story is not a reflection of your worth or a prophecy of your future. It is merely a chapter in a grand, enticing narrative.

Worry not, kid. I love you.

Sincerely,
You