This week asks a lot of us. Not because of the holiday itself, but because of what rises up inside us when the noise quiets. Gratitude isn’t about pretending — it’s about staying human, staying honest, and staying connected to what’s real.

There comes a moment when you realize you’ve spent years offering depth to people who could not meet you in return. Not because you were too much — but because your truth awakened what they’ve avoided in themselves. This letter is a reclaiming of your right to be met, without shrinking, without apology, and without negotiating with your own longing.