drawing - freedom in knowing - ink on paper, 2025

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To the person who knew but didn't help.

I thought you were on my side.

I thought I could trust you.

But your actions showed me I couldn't rely on you.

And not only could I not rely on you -

you deepened the wound.

It felt as though you stood with those who broke me.

You brought me to an even lower place.

And while it was really painful,

it showed me exactly what I needed to do -

I needed to get out of my current situation.

I told myself then

that the terrible experience I was going through

was going to be the very thing

that pushed me to make a change.

And in that moment,

I considered what it would be like

if I stayed in the current situation,

and it became the best version of it

that it could possible be.

And I realised then -

even if the best were to happen,

I wouldn't be happy.

And that made me decide to leave.

I stayed longer than I should,

but I was not the same person anymore.

I could see through the games.

And with that clarity came grief -

grief for what I had been subjected to,

compassion for the self who had endured it.

That was when I knew:

this place was no longer permanent.

I would leave

the first chance I got.

letter - to the person who knew but didn't help

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