TASK 15: WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER TO ANYONE WHO HAS HURT YOU IN THE PAST.
I’ll dive right in with this one.
Hello there,
I’m sure you don’t know this, but you are the reason I’ve become unapologetic in who I am. I never expected a teacher to tell me to be more feminine but even with the bare minimum knowledge I had back then, I knew it was wrong. I took it hard and cried my eyes out because you were someone I looked up to, but I picked myself up. I knew then that who I am isn’t for other people. I am me and some people will dislike that, but as long as I don’t hurt anyone, it’s fine.
6 years later, I’ve shaved my head twice, dressed up in saris and gone to college in a lungi. I express myself the way I want to, with the occasional bout of awkwardness. I am neither feminine nor masculine. I am me. I believe that you voiced your concerns from a point of love, but it taught me two things. One, the people you look up to may not always be right and two, I don’t have to change who I am for anyone’s preferences.
I wanted to tell you this back then, but I was pretty stubborn. So here goes. I’ve put it past me and I hope you have as well. If I run into you again, I hope we’ll have a meaningful discussion about expression. I wish you well. Thank you for making me who I am.
Amulya.
Amulya meets World 