Dear Hopes and Dreams

Dear Hopes and Dreams,

I'm going to need you to be more realistic. I mean, I know we're going to Europe and that's awesome and a great triumph for us, but you have to realize that Europe is the exception to the rule of our life. It worked out through our efforts but it could have just as easily failed and you, friends, would have been crushed.

And I know that you have been crushed by people this year. Be honest- we know that all three of us look better on paper than we do in real life, and we know that our brain lies to us about what we're capable of. It lies about a lot of things, like what people are probably thinking and how we come into that. We've got to take it in stride, though. People are always going to disappoint, to do less than you hoped they would, to forget about their commitments and forget about me and you. They're not going to trust me like you wish they would and honestly, they're not going to love me the way you want them to. You just gotta let these things go, you know, bounce off those malleable outer layers that you cover yourselves with. I know you're good and I know you're only trying to help but Hope and Dreams, you can't just crash after one disappointment.

Listen, I know what the idea you nursed all fall meant to you. I didn't realize how deeply invested you were in those looks and hints, though. But you have to admit that you build guys up. You always do. One day, a guy is going to make it obvious, you know, and you won't have to guess. You'll be able to entrust yourselves to him and he'll keep you safe because he'll realize how important you are to me. Set your sights on the future because, as much as you want to hold onto guys that you already know, I'm not holding my breath for any of them to step up.

I know you're not going to listen to me and I know that I encourage you to ignore me, but if you're going to hope for something ridiculous, make it something epically cool like me becoming an astronaut as opposed to something pathetically lame. You gotta let me sleep, friends. You can't wake me up with this mess anymore. Dreams, I'm looking at you now.

I don't want to discourage the two of you, Hopes and Dreams. We've accomplished quite a few impressive things with some grace and some determination and I'm glad you've been around. You look at this world and you argue against Despairs and Fears and I have to thank you for that. You've always bee around, keeping me company. I trust that one day, we're not going to be alone. So live and breathe and stay by my side, friends.

Just... don't keep me up all night crying over a boy I never knew, OK?

Love,
Addie Jo