Behind the Project
Love Letters But Not was born from a piece I wrote for another English class during my sophomore year at Michigan. The prompt was to write about a ritual that was important to us, whatever it may be. I chose to write about making wishes on sticks during the first bonfire of the summer at sleepaway camp. As I read it back, I realized that the story was more about my friendship with one of my childhood best friends rather than just summertime wishes. My wish for that summer was to have a great time and meet lifelong friends, and almost seven years later, he has stayed with me through it all. When we first met at thirteen, we immediately clicked. He was funny, kind, and always there for me, no matter what. At the time, I was struggling. I felt like I didn't belong at school and that most of my friends there didn't genuinely care about me, but I never doubted that he did. As the years passed and people came and went, he never left. Now, I know what this sounds like. A love story, right? Wrong. These aren't stories about two friends falling in love - they're stories about two friends who love each other. Well, at the very least, I know I do (but I think deep down he does too). It’s a type of love that isn’t bound by blood or romance. Friendship love, if you will.
However, romantic love is the kind that seems to dominate the media. Movies, books, tv shows, poems, songs - whatever the plotline may be, it almost always involves romance. When I was younger, I lived for the moments my favorite tv show couples got together, and I still swoon whenever I watch The Notebook or the music video for Taylor Swift's Love Story. While I was and still am a hopeless romantic, I now understand the importance of platonic love in a way I didn’t before. Whereas romantic relationships are almost always fleeting, friends of that magnitude last the test of time. My best friend from camp sure has. It’s rare to find a connection like that, and we should celebrate those relationships just as much as romantic ones.
Another goal of Love Letters But Not is to remind readers how much fun it is to let ourselves go. As we get older, we often struggle with burnout and lose the sense of wonder and excitement we had as kids. It's ok to not be so serious all the time; in fact, we shouldn't be. Each short story reveals a different aspect of our relationship while also involving an element of play. As you read each story, I hope you enjoy the whimsicalness. Next time you hang out with a close friend, be silly together, and cherish the love between you.