An Open Letter
An Open Letter to the Person Putting Down My Best Friend
Let me start by simply letting you know that you have absolutely no idea who my best friend is. You know what she wears and you know the sound of her voice. You may even know she can be loud as a storm or quiet as a whisper. What you DO NOT know are all the things that make her uniquely beautiful and kind. You do not know her heart; and it is because you do not know her heart that makes YOU ugly for judging her.
My best friend is a gorgeous petite little package that’s filled with passion and fire and wonder. She can feel deep bouts of angst and become pensive or be completely happy and bursting with spontaneity. You said some things to my friend that made her feel insecure and question herself. If you actually knew her you might know this is very out of character. She is bold and confident and radiant.
Reasons I can think of that you might possibly dislike her:
1) You are insecure and projecting your own self-loathing on her.
2) You are jealous because she is young, thin and gorgeous.
3) You pass judgements on people who have tattoos
4) You don’t speak the language of sarcasm
5) You are excessively conservative
You don’t know anything about where she has come from, what she has been through or what kind of person she actually is. She is hard working and loyal, driven and ambitious. She has dreams more expansive than oceans and a heart that loves with unconditional understanding.
I will be the first one to tell you my best friend can be perceived as complicated and misunderstood. Please don’t mistake her silence for being pretentious. Please don’t assume her tough days at work are actually just because of her job. Don’t patronize her if you’re older than her or more experienced; she is extremely intelligent and very agreeable to improvement when addressed with respect. Please don’t assume because she is thin that she doesn’t eat. She eats more than most men I know. (It’s called a fast metabolism.)
She has an amazing work ethic and a boundless love for her family and friends. She can be as strong as steel and as vulnerable as ice. She is multifaceted and layered and perfect just how she is. So please don’t make her feel like she needs to change to fit in or be different or question herself.
My best friend is a piece of my heart, so take heed that your actions have a ripple effect.