A Letter to the One Sitting in the Dark

Good morning,

Todays message is a little different. I usually write about my chaotic life, my writing journey, or the madness of building Aurora Silentia, but today I want to open myself up and be vulnerable with you.

People who have known me long enough know the life I have lived. They know the dark roads I have walked, the battles I have fought, and the versions of me that did not survive. They have also seen me turn my life completely around and become the strongest version of myself they have ever met.

I do not say that to brag. I say it because if I can come back from where I was, anyone can.

So this is for you, the one sitting in the dark right now. The one who feels alone. The one who feels hopeless. The one who believes every bad thing you or anyone else has ever said about you.

Here is the truth. It is not true. You can be more. You can be better than you were yesterday. You just have to fight through those moments when your mind screams at you to quit, to give up, to believe you are not good enough.

Do not listen. You can do it. You are capable. You are strong. You are able.

My entire life, I had people against me, people who wanted to make sure I did not make it, because if I did, they would have to face their own lives. For years, I kept myself trapped in that pattern. I stayed in a cell I built myself because I loved my family and did not want to leave them behind.

But here is what I learned.

No matter how much you love someone, they will never change until they want to. No matter how much love you give, if they are not willing to put in the work, it is all for nothing. They will never love you back in the way you need.

And that is okay.

It is okay to walk away. It is okay to choose yourself. It is okay to know you deserve better. It is okay to understand that you are only responsible for your own healing.

The best way to save them is to save yourself and hope they watch and follow. Beyond that, there is nothing you can do.

You will always love them, and that is okay. But you can love them from afar while you love yourself up close. Walking away is hard, but it gets easier. With time, you heal. Light emerges from the other side. You find hope and strength again. Staying only keeps you down and keeps them from facing their own darkness.

So promise me this.

If you are going to love a broken person, start with yourself first. A healed you can help and love so many more people who need someone to guide them out of the dark.

And if no one has told you this today, I am proud of you for still being here. I am proud of you for trying. I am proud of you for fighting for a life that feels like yours.

You deserve the light you are walking toward.

With love, Tova