To the Girl Who Ran Away

Running away comes with a stigma. People shun it. Many look down upon it. Most often than not, it is unwelcomed, suppressed and muffled. But here’s to that girl who decided to pack her bags and leave or to that someone who left everything in sheer abandon. It’s okay.

It’s okay to run away from people. Toxic relationships are vile and can taint you. Do not be afraid to flee from a friend who’ll willingly stab you and make up stories no matter how much you care and forgive. Do not be scared to end a relationship with a boy whose hobby is to break your heart. Do not be petrified in fleeing from relatives who’ve consistently made you question the definition of family. As they say, life is a decision. It is a series of choices. The people you choose to surround yourself with will leave an imprint on you. They will teach you lessons which could range from euphoric to heartbreaking. When the relationship becomes too toxic beyond repair and you’ve done everything that you could, do not be afraid to walk away.

It’s okay to run away from hurt feelings. There comes a point when all you want to do is explode like a grenade. But after the explosion will you remain intact or will everything go crumbling down including yourself? It’s okay to move on. It’s okay to forgive even when sometimes the person you hand it to did not ask for it nor deserve it. Do not let hurt taint the goodness of your heart. Moving on and letting go is a process. It’s a difficult journey but one worth the trip.

It’s okay to run away from something you’re not passionate about. Many of us do not have the luxury to run after what our hearts truly desire. This can be a talent you’d like to pursue, a passion you’d like to center your career on or a life that you’ve chosen for yourself and not what others have written and decided for you. Do not be afraid to break the norms. Many people live and die in misery knowing that they did not run after what could have made their lives the most memorable journey they could ever imagine. Yes you might fall and that could hurt but doesn’t the knowledge that you could have possibly succeeded but never tried hurt equally as much?

There is nothing wrong about running off into the sunrise. It’s fine to go off in an adventure and leave your baggage to start anew. It’s okay to move on from hurt feelings and toxic people. You owe it to yourself to be free. You owe it to yourself to live and be happy. If running away is a choice that you’re given, remember that not everyone who chooses to stay finds themselves. Sometimes you have to be lost to be found. You need to let go in order to save yourself.

To the girl who ran away, I salute you. Not everyone is brave enough.

(This article was later published on Candy Magazine. View it here.)

More Food for Thought:
Bullying: What Gives?
Out and Cold
Confusion

ABOUT "OPEN LETTERS" I make up stories in my head. I'm a dreamer and sometimes perhaps a lunatic. Writing keeps me sane and while I'm no New York Times Best Seller (yet), I'd love to call myself an author. This blog serves as my digital manuscript. I've kept countless poems, stories and whimsical thoughts for years but never got to share them publicly for fear that people would steal them and take the credit. (Which someone already did by the way! If you're planning to do the same then scoot. I can track you down like a bloodhound.) But it would likewise be a pain to keep them for myself. I'd love for people to enjoy them as I did writing them. Open Letters is a compilation of mostly fictional messages dedicated to whoever finds themselves ensnared within the context. — Anne Macachor