Challenge 151: Dear Sally,

Dear Sally,

I saw you again today. You showed up 15 years old and having a stomach ache so bad it sent you to the emergency room. It would be the first among many. You had been having taco night at John's house when you went home complaining of a bad stomach ache. You went in to Mom's room and curled in a ball crying with how bad it hurt.

Next thing you knew, you had an appendectomy, but you always knew that wasn't the real problem. Because the stomach aches didn't go away.

Here you are 15 and so scared. And alone and abandoned and angry that Dad would up and leave forever. "Why are you doing this?" "I need you?" "DON'T GO! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!!" "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

I am so sad for you. I see you sad and lonely and feeling like there's nowhere to run. No help is the right kind of help. It breaks my heart to look at you. And you are so far away from here. But I feel you. I will always be with you.

My only message here is that it's ok to feel how you're feeling. You're confused and sad and lost and hurt and all of that is ok. There was no way for you to know how to be. There was no way for you to be good at handling this. And I love you. And I've always loved you and I always will. I want to hold you. And curl up with you and jump back in time. So you don't have to hurt and you don't have to feel so sad and so alone. I cry for you. I let you in. Will you let me?

Love,
Sally