A letter of sorts... A jumble of words and images. Calm in the night.

This is our home. One great mosaic of time and memory. Bits of us cling to the walls, swing from the trees. Pieces of us, who have always belonged here, mixing with wisps of others, outsiders who became a part of our lives. They never truly belonged here...they were placed here only to grace us with happiness, to give us joy or pleasure. Those outsiders left with us a piece of themselves. And I've set that piece free. I let it go in the woods along the wooded shore of a forgotten little lake. That place where we spent so much time together, when things were good. I set it free to be free of the burden I felt carrying it, that tiny piece of you. I set it free so that one day I might catch it again, hold it in my hands and remember your muddled, freckled face peering into mine with love and admiration. I set it free so that one day I might remember that beautiful face and not be pained by the sight of it. I set it free so that it may find a new place to rest, here in my home, as I wait for the rage, the fury, the pain, to subside. I set you free to set myself free. I walked out of those woods, cigarette in hand. I lit it, inhaling deeply. One last time, in your honor. I let myself mourn that one last time, there at the edge of the woods. And then I left. I set about forging something new, filling those empty spaces with something more solid and lasting. I see now the beauty I once took for granted. I see the connection I share with every person in this little town, this forgotten place. I feel at home here. I feel alive here. A miracle.

I see this harmony, lying here in the quiet darkness. I see the faces of those I love and care about, those who I spend invaluable bits of time with every few weeks. I see his curls spreading over his pale back, my fingertips tracing circles over his skin, and I feel fulfilled and contented. I see her smoking in the darkness, so quiet together that we can hear the papers burning, and I feel so full of true happiness. My companions. My anchors. They keep me sane, in a way. They feed me what I need, what I crave. I starve for them.

A light illuminates the path behind me and the path before me, and I feel peace. I set you free to free myself. And now, I feel peace. I feel some form of devious joy. I've come so far, and I have so far to go. I have every confidence, every hope.

Thank you for helping me let go. I'll never forget any of you, no matter how much you've hurt me in the past.