Embrace yours, even when it isn't perfect. Many people, including myself, will say that they know themselves as a person very well and that they do not need to broaden their horizons like that. the eternal pain in your butt, your other half, & your friend for life. Yours truly, The Girl Who Hopes She's Still Your Best Friend. You get to be your own validation. And, obviously, people who identify as women should be in the literal director's seat and metaphorical driver's seat more often. I can call … The length of your letter isn’t significant. Noah Centineo and Lana Condor are back with the third and final installment of the "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" series. Thank you for always being available. Instead, I'd like to find myself at an in-between level. She is on Twitter. I would like to be someone who tries new things and is open to new experiences, just by simply reminding myself to be more open-minded. Wish your friend well with "Have a nice day." I have no idea … And so, here are four ways to own your story. 62. I will never turn you away. I don't necessarily believe we all have to be world travelers or even travelers at all! Quentin Bajac invites us to explore the limits and advances of photography's first fifty years and shows how some of the photographers of the time wanted it to be recognized as an art. I hope that you don't invalidate your growth or success because you think it's too small or not important enough. As a result, it is the thing that we, as human beings, crave the most. However, I hope you realize that there's a lot more to life than huge successes. I love him much more than as a friend. SUBJECT: Friendship Love Letter. I love you, best friend. They didn't know my 'why' in life. I appreciate you for all you always do for me. Start in your worry or your excitement or your joy. At times, I've placed so much of an emphasis on what I wanted my story to be instead of letting it be. We look for the individuals who care enough to break through the thousands of walls we have built around our heart, and only then do we show them the smallest bit of affection. Letter to my best friend going through divorce “You know how precious our friendship is to me. If I ever chose to spend my life with someone, my husband/boyfriend will have to accept that you own part of my heart as well. Here's to unpredictable futures and crazy life plans. Instead of feeling shame, I vow to unlearn what I've been spoon-fed. Sign up for the Thought Catalog Weekly and get the best stories from the week to your inbox every Friday. One word, four letters, one syllable, and the thing that you have taught me the most about. I ask myself who my performative actions are benefitting. I know if I ever have a problem or need someone to talk to you're right there. All parts of stories. A vignette. Troy went to Berkeley and Gabriella went to Stanford, just sayin'... That scene just melted all of our hearts. I want to be those old ladies who get lunch together after 60 continuous years of friendship, who have always had someone to laugh at life with, because they chose to stay together. I think that you believe you are not worth loving, and that no one will ever love you for the person you truly are. With our different values and beliefs, I hope and pray that one day we can bring our differences to the table for the betterment of society. That's not to say that their intentions were wrong or rude. Daguerreotypes, emulsion plates, and wet plates occurred almost simultaneously in the mid-19th century after Niepce's discovery. Every day won't be the best day, but every day will have a lesson. Whenever you are feeling low and anxious, just simply GO OUTSIDE and embrace nature! My Top 5 Favorite Things To Do In NYC In Summer, Exposing Kids To Nature Is The Best Way To Get Their Creative Juices Flowing, 5 Simple Ways To Give Yourself Grace, Especially When Life Gets Hard, Breaking Down The Beginning, Middle, And End of Netflix's Newest 'To All The Boys' Movie, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 4 Ways To Own Your Story, Because Every Bit Of It Is Worth Celebrating, How Young Feminists Can Understand And Subvert The Internalized Male Gaze, It's Important To Remind Yourself To Be Open-Minded And Embrace All Life Has To Offer. In fact, nature has been known to be the "natural healer" of many neurological diseases in both adults and children. So many people talk about being friends forever, yet their plans always seem to fall through. Yes, that includes the parts of our stories that don't make sense. Remember that it’s always lovely to hear the words spoken loudly. A letter of friendship. You can love what you do and realize that it's time to move on in a new direction, or perhaps, you can circle back to why you started. The best love letters are simple and pass along the fundamental message. I love you endlessly. Cue the "aww" cute puppy dog face emoji about Peter's response to Lara Jean's Stanford rejection letter. Your life has a purpose, and your story has power. Loving you is a privilege. I get so much joy when someone messages me telling me that my work helped them. Love your friend, Love you so much, Love always, Lustfully yours, Luv ya, Much love, One Love, Sweet Kisses, With purest love, Xoxo, Wanting you more, "Your girl" always, All my love, All my love forever, Always, Always and forever, Always and truly, Always in my heart, Always your baby, Always yours, Can't wait to see you … Friendly Letter to a Friend It is strange that we have forgotten to write letters to our friends but it is always a good idea to pen down your feelings or simply ask for the well-being of your friend. Read them. Putting yourself into the easy positions in life may be secure, but it is much harder to grow as a person this way. Those field trips were always exhilarating and a whole new learning experience because we would learn how to work as a team and then begin to realize how teamwork will eventually lead to our success in the task performed. To write a letter to a friend, start your letter with a greeting and ask how your friend is doing, then move into the main body of the letter. I hate that society has made it so that expression of love between two friends — no matter how close they are — always feels a bit odd, as though “love” should be reserved for the people you sleep with. Friend is the one who supports you I’ve been thinking about writing you for a while now and tell you about the meaning of friendship, something that surrounds us in such a natural way that we don’t even care much about understanding it exactly and what it means. Were all teenagers and twenty-somethings bingeing the latest "To All The Boys: Always and Forever" last night with all of their friends on their basement TV? It's the point in the semester where students start to feel burnt out, and I've started to feel it, too. Maybe they will. Most of all, I hope you'll use them to encourage yourself and realize that you are never alone and you always have the power to change your story. It is the most beautiful thing on earth, it has been since the beginning of time. I'll be the first to admit that this is so hard for me. I didn't know real friendship until I found my best friend in you. Yes, there is always room for growth and improvement, but there is also room to celebrate the little victories. Learn about us. I hope that you don't let one person or one situation or even one bad day stop you from looking up and moving on to greater things. I can’t eat alone, I can’t sleep alone. There is meaning, even if we can't find it just yet. Spread by books and the first illustrated magazines with photographic evidence, it accompanied industrial progress in the second half of the nineteenth century. I'm terrible at letting go, but I'm learning that it's so necessary. Our world puts a huge emphasis on making it seem like we have our lives together. Everyone needs a little sister to keep them in check, and Lara Jean got just that. Other people need you to be human to the fullest. I say this to say that whether intentional or not, others will always have an opinion. I'm a big believer that every day, we have a choice. Your story is worth celebrating, and more importantly, you are worth celebrating. I'm easily my own worst critic in almost everything that I do. 7) A boyfriend’s love is special. I am happy and proud that Lara Jean followed her heart to NYU. (P.S. It will remind you that at one point, you fought for something. If you succeeded today, you can try again tomorrow. A love letter is also a good time to congratulate your beloved on an anniversary or a romantically-themed holiday like Valentine’s … Looking back, I wonder how many times I've missed the train to bigger things because I was too worried about a train that I missed in the past. I hope you put your all into everything that you do, but I also hope you know that it's OK to step away. But a best friend’s love is unconditional. I'm here to tell you that your story is enough because you are enough. The first color photograph was made with three negatives, which were obtained with blue, red and green filters. I was more recently reminded by my open-minded, well-traveled, free-spirited friend that most people never venture to find the place they love the most. I live by New York City and I am so excited for all of the summer adventures. While this familiar feeling is psychosocial, the term "male gaze" was originally coined by Laura Mulvey in 1973 to talk about the ways in which women in art are placed as objects of heterosexual male desire. Love Letter Templates, Love Quotes and Messages. You truly are my other half. Also, side note, did anyone else notice the "High School Musical" parallel going on? I thought to myself, am I one of these people? I'd challenge you to find that lesson, even when it's hard. Not only does nature exert a bountiful force on adults, but it also serves as a therapeutic antidote to children, especially during their developmental years. For the individual: along with a salubrious dose of patience with yourself, the only actionable conclusion that I can draw is that femininity is not fixed and should be not enclosed like feminine stereotypes are usually categorized. We always fight over stupid things, but it always goes away. I can remember simple errors I made years ago, and I still hold on to them. Within various theories of social science and visual media, academics present the male gaze as a nebulous idea during their headache-inducing meta-discussions. Perhaps you’re feeling creative, or maybe this is not your first love letter and you want to do something a bit special. Start wherever you are. It's what makes me hold on to hope. If she and Kavinsky are meant to be together, they'll make it work. Best friend, I love you in the way that a fat kid loves cake. A song if you’re musically inclined. There are some parts of our stories that may never make sense. I still think to call you in the middle of the day for no reason, and am still reminding myself that I can’t, because we are both grown-ups now, with jobs and responsibilities and schedules. Around 1800, in England, Thomas Wedgwood managed to produce a negative black and white photograph in a darkroom on white paper or leather treated with silver nitrate, a white chemical that was known to darken when exposed to light. Start with grace. As art imitates actuality, and/or vice-versa, the male gaze has become a frustrating perspective with pervasive psychological consequences. So often, I want to do my best in everything that I do, and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Going Beyond A Love Letter. Chase after the good, and allow yourself to reflect when it gets tough. Maybe you made your bed or made it to work on time. Dear _____, I am thankful to God for providing me such a wonderful friend in my life with whom I can share all my thoughts and share the good and bad things of life. Other procedures soon appeared. There are a whole lot better things to be than perfect. Because I want everything in the world for you. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if someone dislikes you or if someone doesn’t want to be with you. Dear Best Friend, I know I tell you all the time that I love you, but I want you to know how much I really mean that. Yes, opinions can be helpful. However, this method did not fix the colors to the photo and, therefore, the first color photographic plate was patented in 1903 by the Lumiere brothers, which was brought to commercial markets in 1907 under the name Autochrome. Last year, I had acquaintances come up to me and ask me where I was going to college, only to give me five other options. Ditch the phone call or an SMS and have your letter … I would have loved you to have a taste, but this friend is mine alone. I hope that one day you meet someone who makes you forget why you ever doubted in love. This was taken in 1861 by photographer Thomas Sutton following the guidelines of British physicist James Clerk Maxwell. I've decided to change that in my own life, and I hope you'll consider doing that, too. There are some parts of our stories that are just starting to make sense. Love is not an easy journey. By subscribing, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Statement. Send these letters on … You are my beautiful world, you are my life and soul and always will be mine, you are my first love and last, you are my future, my present, loving you is all I will ever do, because I need you in my life. Even a brief note received over email or text can warm her heart. The photography was used for documentary purposes: inventory missions, topographic surveys, identification cliches, scientific investigations and reports. You can just think of the internalized male gaze as a facet and an outcome of the patriarchy. Do not make it contingent on their acceptance of you or their feelings for you. Thank you for making this friendship a beautiful one. We need support. Nothing worth cherishing ever is. I hope that you don't hide your story because you don't think anyone can learn from it. A woman's complex feelings, interesting thoughts, and own sexual ambitions are less important than her male framing. You believed. I get angry at you just like we get angry at any person who loves us unconditionally: we are irrational, and take our frustrations out on them because we know that they’re there to absorb it. But, if the actions benefit me - or other women - the spectatorship is decidedly less harmful. I've realized the danger in the word "only" because it emphasizes what we've yet to do instead of what we've already done. Here's your reminder that social media and most things in life are but a highlight reel. I was just wondering that we have been friends since the longest times and for all these years; you have always stood by me like the … If we seek out our own adventures in life, it will help us grow stronger and firmer as people. Like you’re too tired to make plans and go out and do things friends do. Those things might not seem big, but they're still victories. Such a beautiful Love Letter to all of those precious single friends we all have. Get to it, friend, and keep writing your story. There is purpose, even when we don't understand. I want to be those old ladies who get lunch together after 60 continuous years of friendship, who have always had someone to laugh at life with, because they chose to stay together. It’s always been funny how closely our friendship resembles a relationship. I hope you see that your story doesn't stop just because one guy couldn't choose you or one employer decided to go a different direction. And when it comes to friendship, what matters is to be there. If I had only one wish for you, it would be for you to tear down your walls and love unconditionally. Because I want everything in the world for you. Thanks for introducing good things to my life and for making this friendship worthwhile. A lot of the time, we don't get the opportunity to choose what story we're dealt in life. It will be worth it, but you have to keep moving forward. Photography, as we know it, was born in France in 1826 when Joseph Nicephore Niepce achieved the first photograph, "Point of view from the window at Le Gras". Yes, by all means, you are valid to worry or have feelings about something that you know is small. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University4. Dear Julie, I have been thinking of writing this letter to you since long. When I was in elementary school, I remember how thrilled I would be whenever we had class field trips! We’re both going off in our own directions, no longer able to follow one another, or happen to be in the same city out of convenience or further delaying of adulthood. Submit your writing to be published on Thought Catalog. Assuming that your boyfriend or husband knows all about your feelings is not a clever thing to do. Looking back, some of the worst days have given me the best stories and lessons. It seems like everyone had an opinion, to the point where I forgot that mine mattered, too. Until then, though, my love will have to suffice. “You are the only person who gets to decide if you are happy or not—do not put your happiness into the hands of other people. I hope you take your time to feel what you need to feel, but I hope you also realize when it's time to move on into the rest of your story. Yet, there are times I realize that you doubt it. This image was made on a pewter sheet covered with bitumen diluted in lavender oil and recorded after 8 hours of exposure. The problem is that we so easily allow others to take the pen out of our hands and start writing the story for us. The problem is that we often internalize other's ideas to the point that we forget that our opinion is valid, too. This is how the first permanent color photograph was born in Great Britain, taken using a new 3-color additive system known as trichromacy. And I admit that I hope this separation is temporary. 22, Richmond Street, New York 1234. Be gentle with yourself, even when you aren't quite sure of your next steps. That's OK. You have been through it all with me, and that is not something I take lightly. When you do that, I hope it all makes sense, but until then, take care of yourself. If the actions are only benefiting men, my little show must be reassessed. Obviously, heterosexual male desire is the ever-present subject. We’ve fought, of course, and I regret it. I hope you celebrate your huge successes. I hope you choose to be kind. Writing a love letter to my best friend Communicating with a friend of the opposite sex can be complicated, especially if you are both single. I’m not sure there will ever be adequate words to describe the impact you have had on my life. We don’t live just down the street from one another, and we can’t cut out weeks of time to go on trips like we used to. I want you to come back as soon as possible because I have started losing a patient. We live in the times of digital advancements, email correspondence, and … Give in to grace. Why should you be open-minded when it is so easy to be close-minded? In many ways, we have been partners. There is something that prevents it all from feeling quite right, and it’s your absence. I've realized that meaning isn't always tied to numbers. More recently, I have had to open myself up to different possibilities and probabilities in hopes of expanding my own horizons and learning more about myself as a person. You are allowed to admit that you don't have all the answers, and I hope that you do. All stories. It's important to go outside of your comfort zone and do what is best for you, not what is best for the boy. Start wherever you are and keep going. I have been excited for this movie ever since I saw the NYC skyline in the trailer that was released earlier this year. You'll be glad that you did. We are better off practicing critical reasoning, introspection, and grace. Be happy always dear friend. Instead, I hope you embrace them. He handled it well, especially when he asked if she was okay. Sometimes when you're venting to me about a mistake you made or how you can't find anything to wear that looks good on you, I'm baffled. I don’t say it enough, because I too struggle with this concept. I’ve never experienced such a wonderful friendship so sweet and perfect. If you are afraid of the words coming out wrong, then you should steal one of these love letters for him. You are in charge of your joy, of your worth. Each mistake is a step in your life, and without them, we wouldn't have growth. This park is beautiful in the summer time. Songs About Being 17Grey's Anatomy QuotesVine Quotes4 Leaf CloverSelf Respect, 1. Now they're all off to college, exploring new places, meeting new people, and trying new things. It’s the life that we should be happy about — we’ve made it, we’ve found careers, we’ve found the places we should be — and yet there is something palpably missing. I couldn't thank you enough for the countless amount of times that you have stuck by me when I needed you. And now I have to learn to get on without you, how to make things make sense without you to listen to it all. Through the bad times and the good. There are some parts of our stories that have always made sense. Live today on Bella Grace Magazine’s blog Grace Notes, you can read my newest publication, Love Letter to a Single Friend. As though there would be anything insulting about that if it were true. It’s terrible. You are loved all the same even if you don't think you deserve to be loved. I love you. To the one who’ve always held my heart, Long have I hidden my true feelings for you but until now I cannot find the courage to say to you how much I love … When I realize I'm performing for the patriarchy, I try to avoid feeling guilty about my internalized male gaze. This is my love letter. Yes, this may seem obvious, but we so often forget. Yes, it was predictable and cheesy, but what else would you really expect? Sample Friendship Letter To A True Friend. You feel like you’re boring, like you don’t do anything interesting anymore. And those places are not the same. Emotional Apology Letters to a Friend you have offended. It can be a poem. However, that doesn’t mean we abandon all hope. One of my favorite quotes is "You have to keep moving on, darling, or you'll miss the train to bigger things than this." We can always expand our knowledge, our arena of thought, with more information and experiences. I would challenge you to look beyond your immediate situation and into the long-term. For instance, medical journals have shed light on the fact that nature is a great cure for children suffering from autism, epilepsy, and stress-related disorders. Future you will be thankful that you didn't. During the nineteenth century many chemists began to experiment to move from black and white photography to color photography. What we do get is the ability to choose what we do with that story. Whatever you do today is enough because you are enough. We defied the rules about what you do with your friends, and what you do with your partners. I love you. Because I know, and I think you do, too, that life is just that much sweeter when we get to do it together. Most of all, I hope you prioritize your mental health, and yes, that might mean taking a break or walking away. I don't want to know. Reach out to others for help, and be there for them when they need you, too. If you haven't watched it yet, gather your friends, pop the popcorn and unwrap the chocolates. One of the very best parts of new motherhood, for me, has truly been living and sharing this crazy and beautiful experience with my mom friends. The invention of the visiting card format and the standardization of practices opened the way to important photography studios specializing in portraiture. I love my best friend. I'll be the first to admit that I get upset with myself if I accomplish twenty things one day and only five the next. If she had gone to Berkeley an hour away from him, she would've been thinking about the "what ifs" of New York the entire time. It's in those moments that Margaret Atwood's poetry appears true. I will be by your side always and forever. Start in your doubt and in your fear and in your anticipation. Big picture: deconstructing the thought of the male gaze indicates that all participants in society must deliberately subvert the masculine perspective's chokehold by blurring gender boundaries. Oh, how I doubt that. I want to end with some encouragement. Humans are meant to live in community. We’ve had over a decade of knowing each other, enjoying one another’s company, and yet releasing the other to the men who came and went from our lives. After all, our friendship is priceless. Most of the struggle is against our own expectations of success or unworthiness, not other people. Instead, I like to think about it as a simple nudge to re-direct. I say that to be real. I'm a raging perfectionist, and I have unrealistic expectations for myself at times. Is the movie trying to make this a trend? It can be written in a short distance or long-distance relationship. According to a new research study published in Frontiers in Psychology, being connected to nature and physically touching animals and flowers enable children to be happier and altruistic in nature. PERIOD. There is no part of our love that is lesser or unimportant because it’s platonic. We’ve traveled the world with each other, stayed up all night talking and passing a wine bottle back and forth, slept in the same bed multiple nights in a row. You feel like you’re not there for me as much as I need you to be, or that you want to be. Examples of the male gaze abound in tropes like the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" or female superheroes who always must be sensual. However, the image was not permanent, as it ended up completely darkening after a few minutes. If a woman's existence hinges upon the masculine gaze, she then has the ability to manipulate the system in which she is seen, becoming the one who commands this visual economy. Who says friendship isn’t beautiful? You can share or send them to your loved ones through Text/SMS, Facebook, Email, Whatsapp, IM, or any other social media sites. I’m afraid if I did, you would see the weirdo I am and run for the hills. Embrace it, even and especially when it's hard.