To the child in you who is a little scared to step out of your comfort zone,

There is a whole world outside the comfortable homes your parents raised you in,

There’s cakes and candies,

hard work and hardships,

pain and pleasure.

Step out to try it all!

Because

Once you have tasted the natural sweetness of honey,

you don’t ever want to go back to the artificialness of packaged sugar.

Once you have experienced the freedom of independence,

you don’t ever want to be put back into some cage no matter how spacious.

Once you have felt your lover’s touch,

you don’t ever want to be more than an arms reach from them.

Once you have drowned your sorrows in a glass of whisky,

you don’t ever want to deal with pain by yourself.

Once you have bet your heart in the game of love,

you don’t ever want to have it back all to yourself.

You are ruined

You are stuck

You are obsessed

Just how a chain smoker is addicted to their daily cigarettes.

Actually, you are worse

Because a smoker will slap a nicotex patch and flush all their cigarettes in the pot

But you?

How will you go back to your normal boring life with no single-malt whisky, no organic honey?

Let’s say you will adjust and make peace without all of this

But how will you be by yourself with no lover to kiss your back randomly as you try to get ready for work

No lover to rub your feet as you turn pages of your new novel on a sunny day on the veranda

No lover to snuggle with, in the middle of the night, half asleep?

Perhaps you will hold yourself on rough days

And tell your reflection in the mirror how marvelous you look

And remind yourself to drink more water throughout the day

You will love yourself a little more for the both of you

You will make do without love too

But my darling,

Don’t ever settle down for a life caged within what is considered right and what isn’t, shackled with the norms of the society

because a life lived dependent on someone is a life half lived.

Don’t let go of your independence at any cost.

Be the boss of your life,

The navigator of your journey,

Both, the narrator and the main character of your story.

If you manage to hold on to your independence, your freedom, your truth

Then I assure you that you will have all the single-malt whisky there is in the world,

There will be a stream of sweet honey flowing through your house,

And a list of lovers waiting to get a glimpse of you.

You will have all that your heart desires if you manage to have the courage to fight for your liberation.

I promise.

-From a fellow teen who recently tasted the succulent flavors of independence.