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[Personal] Love Letters
Added 2024-09-04 23:05:24 +0000 UTCBefore you say anything, I'm okay, thank you 😂
This was just a little quick something I doodle-journaled when reflecting on why I keep certain things around. Sentimental items often feel like a double-edged sword. We keep certain things out of guilt, fear, nostalgia, but sometimes joy and love. I think something I struggle with is that I will hold on to items I don't want, but they serve my ego in some way or provide a narrative that I wish to present to the world. My type-A side is no hoarder though; my sentimental items of the past are all condensed into one single box. If something goes in, something must go out and go bye-bye lol.
When it comes to the letters, I am fairly certain it's a subconscious response to the voices of my past that tried to hurt me by telling me that being queer/child-free/etc means that any love I experience is less legitimate than those of the conventional hetero-nuclear family. I know the letters will outlast me, so perhaps it's just one of my ways of marking my time in the universe and saying "here's a paper trail that I loved and was loved back in life".
I hadn't done a ✨vulnerable✨ piece in a while, so just thought I'd share this one with you guys. Everything I'm currently working on is in the WIP stage, but more to come ASAP!
Comments
I did something similar but way more toxic. Some long distance relation where my exes would stop loving me, I would ask them to send a voice message saying they don't love me anymore instead of by text so I can believe them. I was very young and don't do it anymore. But on lonely days where my self esteem is at it's minimum, I play those recording. I know I'm a walking red flag
Ashenay
2024-12-05 05:36:36 +0000 UTCThanks for sharing
HowlyWolf
2024-09-06 17:42:56 +0000 UTCThis is very touching, Jack. I feel the same way when I keep certain things, mostly out of nostalgia and joy. Hugs to you. 😃😊
Afadi Chionesu
2024-09-06 01:22:58 +0000 UTCWow this was beautiful. 🥹 Thank you so much for being vulnerable and sharing this. I sadly don’t have any relationship experience to relate, but stories like this remind me that there is still hope. ☺️
YrevaWolf
2024-09-05 21:23:59 +0000 UTCThat was a harsh turn of events, I would probably feel the same after such rejection and stagnation. Even if it feels like it, I am sure you can find love and a proper relationship still though. Sometimes it happens when you least expect it and you can only truly lose the race, if you give up trying. I definitely hope just the best for you in that regard!
MasterDraco
2024-09-05 20:47:11 +0000 UTCYou are right, it's a double-edged sword with such things. It's nice that those letters can remind you that you was loved before, but they also might give you the feeling that you can't be loved again, making your past an emotional and nostalgic prison. But since you was loved before, you have proof that you obviously can and will be loved again. It's the same with everything, other people judge and we tend to take it seriously, despite their opinion having no meaning at all in the end. Love is love, a well-worn phrase, but so true. Being social beings is hard sometimes.
MasterDraco
2024-09-05 20:35:21 +0000 UTCI've never been in a relationship before. I have been friends for the past decade with the guy who I thought might be my first-ever relationship. Unfortunately, he expressed to me that he no longer wished to be intimate and wasn't interested in a romantic relationship going forward. This came following our most recent intimate encounter about 8 months prior. I had been going through a death in the family and thought speaking to him might have been of some comfort only to receive even more bad news. In the wake of this, I drafted a letter and spent 3 hours handwriting the final draft to make it more personable. He took the time to read the letter and appreciated me opening up and acknowledged that it must not have been easy for me to do. He indicated he was going to take some time to process all that I shared and would respond. He said, for the meantime, to do my best to be kind to myself and heal. He also reminded me to remember who I am... "a kind-hearted man." We've sporadically chatted over Telegram for the past year, but still haven't gotten to discussing things more in depth and we haven't met in person since visiting Cedar Point in Ohio back in October 2022. Seeing this reminded me of all my attempts at finding a relationship/love. At this point in my life, I've been having doubts about the possibility/eventuality of it ever happening, especially after being friends with someone for a decade and hitting a wall. Sorry to carry on with all this.
Zian Panda
2024-09-05 16:11:10 +0000 UTCI think you'll appreciate this. Kurzgesagt gets it! https://youtu.be/WPPPFqsECz0
Zac
2024-09-05 05:51:41 +0000 UTCI’m in the same boat with you. Sadly I’ve never had any love felt for me, nor have I found someone whom I love, outside of family. And people always talk about positivity…yay, that’s doing so much for me! 🤷♂️ But if nothing else, you’ve got a kindred spirit in loneliness 🥲
GreenDreamer
2024-09-05 04:32:37 +0000 UTC❤️I too keep momentous of past relationships, just because they didn’t last it doesn’t mean they weren’t real, right?
Dissonance
2024-09-05 02:43:30 +0000 UTClove to you jack, ouch this hit close hard heh 💜
zurgburger
2024-09-05 02:28:55 +0000 UTCHugs for you, Jack.
Luke
2024-09-05 01:18:28 +0000 UTCBeautiful!
Star3D
2024-09-05 01:16:23 +0000 UTCI do the same thing. Please always remember that you’re capable and worthy of being loved! Because you’re an incredible soul 💚
BiffTheMoose
2024-09-05 00:09:02 +0000 UTC*looks at my empty box* it's hard believing in yourself to be loved, very hard.
Beldro Mercier
2024-09-04 23:59:41 +0000 UTCI hope the few people i ever wrote such a letter to, kept it, or remember me 😅
Howlrunner
2024-09-04 23:58:54 +0000 UTCI love the depth you put into your work, both in these small comics, and the complexity of the characters in larger comics. We don’t take that vulnerability and complexity lightly, so thank you for all you do!
Dusky Snep
2024-09-04 23:36:30 +0000 UTCThis is lovely and smart of you to do :) I enjoy your personal pieces. And keeping limited to a box sounds like a reasonable conpromise. I've tossed so much of my sentimental stuff over the years and genuinely regret it. I have yet to experience romantic love, myself (post-homophobic/misogynistic religious upbringing recovery), but reading about other queer people's experiences and how they thrive (even just survive) is very encouraging. I would love to see more anthologies with stuff like this included so that people who are less confident or forced to stay closeted can see what's possible. Thank you for sharing.
Greenbeans
2024-09-04 23:31:33 +0000 UTCI kept all of mine also
Mordecai15
2024-09-04 23:27:42 +0000 UTCHere I am feeling good because work is over and I get to go home, and then you go and hit me in the feels! Sad and beautiful i want to frame these pics and put them on a wall.
Xavier Redstag
2024-09-04 23:21:28 +0000 UTCThank you for being vulnerable with us and sharing a little bit of your story
Danny Moran
2024-09-04 23:21:19 +0000 UTCDon’t forget that you’re worthy of being loved. <3
Grey Archer
2024-09-04 23:11:57 +0000 UTC*hugs* Totally relate
S. Rune Emerson
2024-09-04 23:08:46 +0000 UTCthat’s really beautiful and topical for me as someone just out of a breakup, just moving into their own place, trying to figure out what to do with childhood art and shit
Dan
2024-09-04 23:08:04 +0000 UTC
