To all which saved me during the last year;

Thank you to my parents, who knew to dim the lights and close the windows when the brightness from outside threatened to tear my mind in half. Thank you to you who helped me through the pain from my migraines, and reminded me to drink water and take my medication. Thank you as well, for your acceptance and understanding to me and my brother of the hardships we’d face during the last year. For accepting our failures and understanding our limits to celebrating our successes, and pushing us to greater heights, thank you so much. 

And thank you, for no matter what, you always pushed for our small family to gather together for dinner every day. So thank you, for holding us together and keeping us close when arguments, stresses, misunderstandings, and wild emotions threatened to break us apart.

Thank you to my mother, who stayed with me and calmed me when I was at my limit. Thank you for your reassurances, and your calming words which kept me grounded. To you who listened to me at my most vulnerable place, and listened compassionately without anger, thank you for accepting me as I am.

Thank you to my father, who pushed me to go outside, to escape my thoughts, and to run and be free athletically. Thank you for the evening walks, the morning bike rides, and even the afternoon AC. Thank you for always doing your best for our family, even with the future so uncertain for you. Our garden has never looked more beautiful as now, thanks to you.

Thank you to my brother, who welcomed me into his room and played softly on his piano for me as I struggled to fall asleep. As nightmares haunted my mind and my anxieties worsened, thank you for staying by my side. Thank you for your thoughts and your opinions, which guided me through and helped me with some of my toughest decisions. 

And Thank you to my friends, who called me during the late nights and the early mornings. Thank you to all of you who listened to my fears, my stresses, my anxieties, and my anger. And thank you too, for making me laugh, and smile, and feel at my highest when I was truly at my lowest. Thank you as well, for making my 16th one of the happiest days of last year.

Thank you to Art for being there for me when nothing else could be. To the drawing tablet and drawing programs which brought my emotions to life and allowed me to express, thank you. With you by my side during these times, I could finally feel fulfilled through creation. So many of my dreams regarding art growing up came true this year. From opening commissions to building a platform to share my artwork, it’s thanks to you that I could do this.

Thank you to Music, for being there to calm the raging anxieties in my mind. When my head threatened to tear apart from the pain of the worst migraines I had ever experienced, thank you to the songs which talked me through one more night. To the songs and music artists who reminded me of a happier time, and encouraged me to keep on going, thank you.

And finally, Thank you to Me. Thank you for remaining strong when you felt that you were at your weakest. Thank you for reaching out for help when you needed it most. Thank you for persevering and allowing yourself to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You’ve grown so much this last year, I’m proud of you.

You survived. You made it.

Congratulations.