“I love these posts you’ve been writing lately about how you’re learning to trust yourself again,” she says. “They’re super relatable of course.”

I nod. Our lives have been moving in parallel lately. I’ve noticed that about certain friends. We seem to almost emotionally sync up even when we live hundreds, or even thousands of miles apart. Similar life themes. Similar challenges. Like we’re living very similar lives even while being very different people on a fundamental level. It’s nice when it happens. Makes me feel less alone. And we learn so much from each other, even though we tend to handle the same challenges different ways. It’s no different with her. She’s been trying to learn self-compassion too — after a checkered youth.

“But it’s not just because they’re relatable,” she says.

“Oh?” I say.

“I’m really happy to see you working to be kinder to yourself. You make so many other people happy. You deserve that happiness, too, you know?”

I don’t say anything.

She trudges on. “Anyway, Page, it’s time that you gave yourself a chance. We all trust you so much. You should trust yourself too. We want that for you.”

“Aww thanks,” I say. “It’s hard sometimes because you didn’t know me back then…. you’ve only known the version of me that I’ve worked really hard to build. You didn’t see the person I’m scared of becoming again. I think if you did that you’d be as worried about me becoming her as I am.”

She laughs. “You’re really committed to self-denial, aren’t you?

I shrug.

“I mean it, Page,” she says. “It’s time that you gave yourself a chance. Lord knows you give enough other people chances. Some of them you gave a few more chances than you should have.”

I laugh. “I’m working on that too.”