29 Comments
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Sara Kay's avatar

This is stunning! "A strong personality, my therapist said. I’m not hiding a rotten core, I just have so much love to give and gatekeeping that love serves me no purpose." Spoke to my soul. Thank you for sharing!

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m.'s avatar

Raimi, I’ve read this three times now I resonate with it so deeply. Your words pierced my soul in an unbelievable way. I, too, experienced an abusive relationship at 14, one that left me questioning my very essence and still lingers. The way you articulated those frustrating and complex emotions was truly beautiful. It’s difficult to remain kind in a world that can be so unkind, but kindness is the one quality I choose to hold onto every single day. Thank you for sharing these beautiful words.

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Taliah Stanley's avatar

I see you. from one mirror to another

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lelian's avatar

this is beautiful

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raimi reyes's avatar

thank you SO much angel! ❦

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Susan Coyne's avatar

So incredibly lovely. Thanks for sharing.

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raimi reyes's avatar

& thank you so much for taking the time to read it! I appreciate you angel ❦

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mila *ੈ✩‧₊˚'s avatar

wow, just wow. this has taught me so much i really needed this. absolutely beautiful raimi <3

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raimi reyes's avatar

thank you from the bottom of my heart, means the world to me! :,) ❦

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natalia's avatar

hiii, I’ve been inspired and in awe of your artistry for a long time now.

I have always felt that I struggle to articulate my deep thoughts and feelings. After reading this piece, I am in awe of how perfectly you are able to lay out something so authentic and beautifully vulnerable and hope that one day I can do the same. thank you and sending love your way xoxo

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raimi reyes's avatar

hi my sweet natalia, thank you SO much for taking the time to write this; I'm truly honored. & I believe with my whole heart that you'll be able to do the same! hugs my angel ❦

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livi 🪷♱🪷's avatar

hi, from your story ♡ tears filled my eyes reading this one. all i can think of is what a beautiful, expressive, & resilient woman you are. returning so so much love back to wherever you are !

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raimi reyes's avatar

hi liv! my heart got so warm reading this. thank you for being beyond kind and thoughtful; it truly means the world to me. sending you hugs angel, ugh! ❦

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Gigi Nadeau's avatar

This piece is so devastating and tragic yet so beautiful. Thank you for writing this. Your words resonate in ways you may not even know. Sending you love. Xx

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raimi reyes's avatar

thank you so SO much gigi, "tragic yet so beautiful" really sticks with me. I appreciate you with my whole heart, sending you all my love angel! ❦

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lailajordyn's avatar

Teach me how to live please, I think this is one of the most beautifully curated things I’ve ever been allowed to experience.

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raimi reyes's avatar

you are so kind, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will always try to share what I’ve learned from the lessons I’m put through, we’re in this together angel 🫂

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lailajordyn's avatar

oh my!!!! i absolutely adore you 💓

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Blume's avatar

This was hauntingly beautiful. And I'm so grateful that I came across it. I had so many feelings reading through your words. There's resonance, there's the closing my eyes after every line so I don't ugly sob, there's warmth and then there's the overwhelming desire to pull you into a hug. Or pull myself into a hug, I'm not sure yet. What i am sure of, is that survival isn't an accident. You're here now, dear Raimi. I hope you can give yourself permission to unwound the stitches that have held all your wounded parts. Your skin has reentered itself and can help support the weight of your bones. I know it's hard, and it takes light light light to feel that light, the glow in the dark kind that pushes through the dark ( I should know, I'm living as a parallel to you) but like you said, it's not impossible. So, breathe, be that little girl again and colour yourself into all the artworks you couldn't before. Sending you all my love 💖🦋✨

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raimi reyes's avatar

Patricia this comment touched my heart in so many ways, I've read it a million times over. Thank you for taking the time to extend your heart to my writing and I, your love is not lost on me! I'm so grateful to be able to connect with aligned souls like yours just by doing something I love, it's such a beautiful cycle. I'm sending you all my love and in a perfect world I could be hugging you right now! Wishing you the sweetest February and so on 🏹🤍🫂

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Emilie Mendham's avatar

One of the most beautiful essays I’ve ever read

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raimi reyes's avatar

from the bottom of my heart, thank you SO much Emilie! ❦

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✨✨✨'s avatar

holy shit this was one of the most beautiful things i've ever read, and so resonant in a multitude of ways. grateful this ended up on my feed, grateful to get to feel and see the existence of your light that was pouring out of these words and out of you. sending waves of love your way

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raimi reyes's avatar

This is so unbelievably kind and thoughtful, I cannot thank you enough Theresa, I'm beyond grateful that my work has reached you. I could only hope to connect with angels as receptive, warm, and understanding as you are! my heart feels so full right now and I'm sending you so many hugs! ❦

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sydney <3's avatar

Raimi, this made me cry. Your ability to be vulnerable yet in such a beautifully poetic way just melts my heart, and I wish you so much love an abundance because you deserve peace in this life <3 thank you so much for this

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raimi reyes's avatar

sydney baby, wow thank you so much for your immense kindness and for taking the time to read this. It warms my heart to the core. I'm sending you so so much love and appreciation, besos angel! ❦

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Amal Kiswani's avatar

Raimi, you've been one of my favorite people on the internet for a while now. I look forward to your newsletters, and am always in awe of your ability to exude such sweetness, love, and empathy. I'm surprised we are the same age, but realize now that it's one of the reasons I relate to you so deeply - our experiences are mimicking each other someway. Thank you for being, you are a lovely breath of fresh air. Wishing you the best, and always sending love your way. Thanks for sharing your heart with us.

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raimi reyes's avatar

Amal this means the world to me, from the bottom of my heart thank you so much for seeing me as you do! I find comfort in knowing that there are people like you who mirror the experiences I've had, although the world is scary, at least we don't have to feel so alone in it all. I'm grateful that we've somehow found each other, better together! You mean so much to me and I hope you can feel the hugs I'm sending you, kisses angel! ❦

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Feb 9
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raimi reyes's avatar

hi adam! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work and write this very thoughtful response. I'd be lying if I didn't say that the way you started this made me hesitant to read further, but I'm glad I did. You make a lot of lovely points and offer so much sweet advice; thank you. I'm grateful that you've been able to see me and that my post has found another "odd angel out," making us not so odd but just different. Better together! Different is good, and I love that for us. sending hugs your way ❦

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