for when things get hard (journal prompt)

"write down 3 things to read back when things get difficult."

1. being alive in a world that wants you dead is an act of resistance. there are so many forces in this fucked up world that are hoping for your downfall, or flat-out want you to stop existing. we can talk about being a good activist all day, but that tends to be a really difficult standard to live up to when you're struggling, so sometimes you just have to survive. that's enough. but you need to live, not just for yourself, but for the millions of young queer, neurodivergent, fat children that will look upon your wrinkled face and feel hope. "if they can grow old despite it all, maybe i can too."
2. there are things that no one will be able to take away from you. when the world feels like it's at its end, there are things that will always be accessible to you. list them out, and keep adding to that list. there will always be more art to make, more music to discover, more tea to brew, more memories to make with your loved ones. you are a powerhouse of hope and creativity, and though life can be trying sometimes, no one can take that fire from you.
3. you are so, so loved. though sometimes it can feel incredibly lonely, like you're the only one that exists, i swear to god, there are people that will always care about you and miss you if you were gone. your partner, your friends, your family (by blood or otherwise), even just people who recognise you off the street and think to themselves, "oh yeah, there's that chubby androgynous person with the whimsically stickered kia soul, i remember them." you make an impact on this world that you will never be able to see in its entirety. there are people that smile when they think about your cotton candy curls, your sweet scent, your shy smile, your loud and genuine laughter. there are times when you will make people upset, sure, but you are a net positive in many people's lives. you are so loved, more than you could ever know.

read this when you're struggling, sylvestre, and then read it again. you will be okay. you will survive, and even if everything is burned to nothing around you, you can still rise again from the ashes. you will be okay. i love you.