To my friends

Dear Tizza, Hi. I miss you so much. I miss the way you laughed in that barely-there voice—your head tilted back, your pin-straight hair dancing in the wind. I miss your gentleness, your compassion, your calm. The kind of peace you carried so naturally. The warmth you gave so freely. I miss us. I miss […]

Dear Aira, I’m grateful I met you at the beginning of my journey—a fresh start after years of isolation. You surprised me with the way you express care: through food, honest rebukes, and your quiet flexibility. There’s something steady and real about how you show up. I’m truly happy I got to work with you.

Dear Dangs, Hi. How are you? You’ve been gone from the online world for so long now. Since the last time we met, I haven’t heard anything about you. I even searched through my accounts, hoping to find some trace—some small digital footprint you might have left behind. There was nothing. It’s almost as if

Dear Ria, How have you been? It’s been a while since we last spoke. You’ve been busy with med school, and I’ve been caught up with life. Ri, among the few genuine friendships I’ve had, you are one I hold close to my heart. There are moments when I look back and remember your kindness—things

Dear James, I still can’t quite understand how we became friends. When did it even begin? We weren’t in the same program in college. Yes, we had mutual friends—but still, how did we happen? All I know is this: your presence has always brought me a quiet sense of calm. There’s something about our connection.

Dear Sackie, The first time I heard you crack a joke and laugh so freely, I knew—you were the kind of friend who understood my humor. Long before we met, people used to tell me I laughed too loudly, that I was too much, too overstimulated, too everything. But with you, I never felt like

Dear Shaine, To my Shanang—my soul sister, my sister from another parent—thank you for the kind of friendship that fuels my creativity and steadies my heart. Eight years.That’s how long we’ve known each other. Sometimes I wonder—was it our artistic souls that drew us together? Or was it the quiet similarities we shared: being firstborn