"we're so cool together"
musings on friendships & writing & creativity
I texted my best friend this last week. We were talking about a friend I had just hung out with: “We’re so cool together. It’s like a spark of magic—a million moments of joy. It’s new but it feels like I’ve known […..] for years. Every conversation we have is seeped in happiness; […..] is a true ray of sunshine”.
Writing about joy and love and friendships and how chaotic yet deeply formative my twenties have been so far is what lights up my soul.
It’s why I continue to write even when I feel like giving up, especially when the doubt creeps up in my mind about if anyone cares about what I have to say. Sometimes, the empty page feels daunting. As if it’s waiting with bated breath for some kind of divine, higher power intervention to fall upon me, for the words to light the match to set alight some kind of truth for all my readers. That’s a lot of pressure, but I’m not someone who can cower away when given the opportunity to write about the moments in life that deeply inspire me, even the more difficult moments.
I’m appreciative of all the experiences I’m able to have in this lifetime, and I recognise just how lucky I have been with friendships and new connections and experiences that have forced me to grow and determine that honestly…it’s okay to be scared and feel like you don’t know what your next decision may be, but also be happy and so joyful and in awe of life all at the same time. I’ve been both sure and unsure and you probably have too. We must give ourselves grace, for these are the best years of our lives, and we must trust that whatever happens, we will be okay.
At the weekend, I went to an art exhibition!
I felt as though I had been in a creative funk all week and so this was a much-needed outing; I spoke to many of the various artists and took lots of pictures. As a writer, it’s always so wonderful to meet like-minded people who have a similar creative capacity as me. The next day and for much of yesterday morning, I journaled without hesitation about how much I want to hone more of my artistic crafts in painting and sketching, and learn how to be more technical.
Art and writing are creative outlets I will forever try to master, even if it takes me a lifetime.
I recently let a few people read some poems I was unsure of including in my book and I deeply appreciated the feedback I received. I know my writing itself is strong but I have this tendency to cling onto poems that I found fun to write, even if it doesn’t make sense in the overall story. I have to be a harsher critic and be willing to part ways with poems that could be better suited to future projects. As fellow writers, I’m sure you all can understand how difficult it is to do that. But it’s so important and so necessary.
I keep thinking back to that conversation I wrote about in the beginning. Truthfully, I just feel so fortunate and grateful to have those moments and those feelings in a lot of my friendships :)
I hope this week is super kind to you <3
— Amy
This was such a lovely read, and I wanted to take my time sitting with it before giving my full response (apologies for not coming here more often 😭)
I especially loved the phrase "a million moments of joy" because sometimes that's exactly what friendship feels like, not grand gestures, but an accumulation of small moments that somehow become part of the architecture of our lives.
One thing my twenties have taught me is that friendship is often less about frequency and more about texture. Some people arrive and it feels as though you've known them for years, while others drift in and out like seasons. Both can leave lasting marks.
Your reflections on creativity resonated with me too. As someone who writes, I've come to realise that creating often involves letting go as much as holding on. Sometimes the piece you love isn't meant for this project, but for a future version of yourself you haven't met yet.
I also appreciated your point about being both sure and unsure at the same time. I think that's one of the quiet truths of adulthood: joy and uncertainty are not opposites. They often arrive together.
Wishing you many more art exhibitions (the photos are great btw!) meaningful conversations, and those little sparks of magic that make life feel larger than itself.