Dear Scott (and All the Other Kids Like Us)

Dear All the Kids Like Me,

You get it. You know what it’s like when people don’t get it. You get it when you get others and they don’t get you. You get how amazing and surprising and wonderful and thrilling it is when somebody gets you. You get how rare this really is.

You get when the sun is shining outside but inside it’s all scorched earth. You get when the rain is pelting your body but your heart is baptized in love.

You get being empty, being lost, being full, and being found. 

You know how you connect too well and too fast. You know how you disconnect too slow and too painfully.   

You know God well in your prayers and it’s never because of virtue. You know the Devil maybe even a little better because of all the vices. 

You know that what others call mental health you call heart health. You know that when you are called an old soul you feel more like a wounded healer.

You feel the weight of others in their pain and you also feel your own too at the same time. You feel what others feel and you don’t try to fix it. 

You feel sure that what you feel sometimes transcends time. You feel confident that your feelings for the day are outside of your control. 

You feel a lot. You feel like you’re a lot. You like it a lot that you feel a lot, except when you don’t. You feel a lot that you wish other people around you felt a lot, especially if you feel a lot for them. 

Scott (Rapper), you get “kids like me” because you’re just like us too. You know that you and I have a heart of a lion. You feel misunderstood all the time, just like me. 

Chester (Singer of Linkin Park), you got what it’s like to hate yourself and not want to. You knew that being nice to everyone was way more important than most people understand. You felt like you had to get out of here, and even though I wish you stayed, I said goodbye to you and will remember you until my time is up too. 

Robert (Singer of The Cure), you get darker emotions. You know how to create depth out of shallow things. You feel it’s ok that boys do, in fact, cry. 

Sufjan (Singer/songwriter), you get the mystery of love. You know how to show me a feeling I haven’t had before without telling me how to feel it. You feel like you love Jesus a lot but aren’t as sure about His bride, just like me. 

Jesse (Singer of Brand New), you get how crappy humans can be, especially you and me. You know you’ll never be completely perfect or honest or whole. You feel that other people should stop trying so hard to be those things that no one can ever be. 

John Mark (Singer), you get how much He loves us. You know that sometimes you entertain negative feelings actually because it’s fun. You feel like we are often wrestling with the wilderlove inside of us. 

Brennan (Writer), you got how authenticity can be another way of being phony. You knew that your fundamental reality was that you were a Beloved Child of God. You felt like you did nothing to deserve it and sometimes walked away because of it. 

Thomas (Writer), you got how important it was to be wise. You knew that your True Self was hidden in Christ. You felt that violence wasn’t the answer and peace was possible. 

Ian (Podcaster, Writer), you get it’s our feelings that derail us from doing what we really want to do. You know that the list of “kids like us” is not very encouraging. You feel like we are the ocean and our feelings are just the waves.

Jamie (Founder of To Write Love on Her Arms), you get that the pain of other people really matters. You know that you have a part to play to make it better. You feel lonely all of the time in the process.

Rachel, you get that kids do best with equal parts love and discipline. You know that you are gifted and special. You feel like I see you for who you really and truly are.

Anna, you get that conflict is inevitable when you are connected to someone. You know that we weren’t supposed to be together. You feel like I still care about you (and always will).

Lukas, you get that it takes a lot for us to be creative. You know that people find Jesus as much outside of the church as inside it (if not more). You feel like you wish people would say what they mean and speak only from their hearts.

Hannah, you get that the suffering of other people should never be taken lightly. You know that there’s only so much you can do about it. You feel like I saw and understood you’re trying to make sense of all of it, even though I could have done it better.

“Charlie (from Perks of Being a Wallflower),” you get that we accept the love we think we deserve. You know that you’d do anything, ANYTHING, for your friends. You feel ok about being happy and sad at the same time. 

“Tom (from 500 Days of Summer),” you get that what you experience in relationship is not what she experiences. You know there’s more than one season in life and in relationship. You feel like there isn’t “the one” (or do you?)

“Teddy (from Her),” you get that others call you sensitive all the time and you’re never sure whether it’s a compliment or insult. You know how terrifying it is when you aren’t sure where someone is that you love. You feel like you’re afraid that at some point you’ll feel everything you could ever feel.

“Donnie (from Donnie Darko),” you got that people just don’t think like you and I do. You knew that a lot of self help gurus just want money and fame and don’t care about people. You feel like you died alone, and I understand that, but I don’t think it’s true. 

Spirit, you get me in a far deeper way than I’ll ever get myself. You know the most beautiful parts of me, and you know the absolute worst. You feel things so powerfully that it inspired you to create everything, including kids like me. 

Caleb, you get that Chad is so loud that sometimes you can’t hear your actual self. You know that what you offer to the world is honesty and vulnerability, even when it’s painful. You feel like you will find love someday, and you feel like it will all be worth it in the end.