Darling, I realize that life isn't what you were hoping for. Heck, it isn't what any of us were hoping for. But here we are. We have dealt with losses, varying in appearance. The one you have liked doesn't like you back. Your long-time friend has stabbed you in the back, and now you have to walk away from that friendship. A long, beautiful relationship has ended. You have been laid off from your job. The ones you love have passed away.

I know that life can be a mess sometimes, but I have a promise for you: it goes on. When you are hanging by your fingertips onto the edge of your life, someone will be there to pull you back in. Once you are back to a safe place, I need you to recognize the opportunity around you.

If you have lost family, remember that genetics is not what defines a family. There's someone there to nurse you like a mother and protect you like a father. I know that person will never replace who you've lost, but he or she cares for you as well. That person doesn't want to see you sad and beat up over the brokenness of the world, but rather want you to be happy, just like your blood family.

If you have lost a long-time friend, see this as an opportunity to find new friends or experiences. Most often, there will be someone there who has been waiting for you to need him or her. That person will take care of you and make you laugh until you cry. After awhile, you'll forget why you were upset in the first place.

If you have lost a love (or almost-love), notice that it is time to find yourself again. Friends will comfort and console you until they know that you are strong enough to get back on your feet. Then, it is your turn to find the person who was so lost in someone else. Take yourself on dates. Do whatever it was that you liked to do that he or she didn't. Free yourself up to new adventures.

If you have lost a job and are looking for a new one, remember how you landed the previous one. Did it happen overnight? Most definitely not. It took days, weeks, months, etc. to find it. You had to apply, update your resume, be called in for an interview, wait (and wait and wait) to hear a response. This will take time. While you are waiting to find that new job, just remember what it is you want to do with your life.

I know you've lost a big part of your life, and things seem pretty depressing, but this is no time to give up. I want you to hold on. First, hold on to your life. Do not let it spiral out of control, and definitely do not end it (I will never forgive you). Second, hold on to the ones who are still with you in this life. You never know when anyone's last day will be. Finally, hold on to your beliefs. I know troubling times can change your mind about some things, but stay strong.

That's all I have to say.

Love you dearly,

Emily