Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
My dearest Julie,
I’m going to tell you something I wish someone had told me. I want you to know this: you are not alone, even when it feels like the world is pressing in on you from all sides.
Reach out to your friends, family. There are people who’ll be more than willing to help you. The key is asking for help.
The end of a relationship has a way of making you feel like you’ve lost not just the person but also the version of yourself you were with them. It’s disorienting, and it’s painful, but it’s also an opportunity. I know that’s hard to see, but trust me, my love, it’s true.
I’ve never told you this, but your father and I ended because he broke the vows we made to each other. He cheated on me. It’s a truth I’ve carried for years, not because I wanted to hide it from you, but because I didn’t want it to color your memories of him. He was your father, and he loved you deeply, but our relationship was flawed in ways that couldn’t be mended.
When I discovered his infidelity, it felt like the ground beneath me disappeared. I had to rebuild, piece by piece, and there were days I thought I’d never feel whole again. But I did. Not because someone else came along to fill the void, but because I learned to love the person I was becoming in the wake of it all. I learned that my strength wasn’t in holding on, but in letting go and trusting that I could stand on my own.
Being alone after a relationship ends isn’t a failure. It’s not a sign that you’ve done something wrong or that you’re not enough. It’s a chapter, just like any other chapter in your life. And sometimes, the quiet of being alone is exactly what you need to hear your own voice again. To rediscover what makes you laugh, what fills your heart, and what sets your soul on fire.
You are so much stronger than you know, Julianna. You have a resilience that I’ve seen time and time again, in the way you’ve faced challenges and forged your own path. This moment, as hard as it is, will be another testament to that strength. You’ll find your footing again. And when you do, you’ll see that being alone isn’t a punishment—it’s a gift. A chance to know yourself more deeply, to learn what you truly want and deserve.
So take your time. Feel the sadness, the anger, the confusion—all of it. Don’t rush to fill the silence with noise or the space with someone else. Sit with yourself. Be kind to yourself. And remember that you are whole, even when you’re on your own.
Life has a way of surprising us, my love. Sometimes it breaks us open, but that’s how the light gets in. Trust that this isn’t the end of your story. It’s just a new beginning.
Always,
Mom