A Book, a Breakdown, and a Hug I Didn't See Coming

Lemme tell you a story…..

It was one of those Fridays.

You know the kind—when you come back from work feeling like you’ve just barely survived a war. Your body hurts in ways that make you question how you're still upright. Your brain feels like it’s buffering. And emotionally? Let’s just say it’s a full-on circus.

Now, throw in the arrival of Ms. Period Aunty—you know, that monthly visitor who shows up like she owns the place, bringing along mood swings, cramps, and a complete identity crisis. Yep. That one.

I walked into my house feeling like a tangled mess of exhaustion, pain, and confusion. The kind of tired that isn’t just physical. The kind of ache that seeps into your soul a little bit. I couldn’t name what I was feeling. I just knew it wasn’t good.

So I freshened up, didn’t sulk (even though it was very tempting), and instead, I picked up a book.

No expectations.

No plan.

Just… a quiet hope to not feel worse.

And then something beautiful happened.

As I read, the noise in my head softened. The ache in my chest loosened. The words on the page didn’t just entertain me—they held me. Every chapter felt like a warm, invisible hug. Every sentence gently whispered, “Hey, I know it’s rough, but you’re not alone.”

And in that moment, I felt lighter. Not magically okay. Not suddenly healed.

But… comforted. Seen. Safe. Like someone out there had written those words just for a tired, crampy, emotionally-overloaded version of me.

And that’s when I realized—writing is pure magic.

So this is my little letter of appreciation, gratitude and love to the writers out there.

To the ones who write even when they’re tired, unsure, or hurting.

To the ones who stay up crafting stories that might one day land in the hands of someone who really, really needed them.

Thank you.

Thank you for creating characters that feel like friends.

For painting worlds that become safe places.

For somehow putting emotions into words when we can’t even name what we’re feeling.

You didn’t know me. But that night, your book saw me. Held me. Hugged me.

And I just want to say—I’m really, really grateful.

With love,

A tired girl who found a little bit of peace in your pages