This is the first thing I ever read by Andrea Gibson, and it was just the last lines, “You belong here and everything you feel is okay” and it was years and years and years ago, before I got sober, and I would say it to myself over and over and over, and like this, they lit lanterns for every heart on fire, every soul that felt alone in the world.

A lot of people share pain, and that sharing is beautiful and useful and it matters; but fewer share from the place of love—for no other reason than to spread love—because they’ve seen and they know that beyond all the pain and suffering of their lives and of the world, the truest thing is still love.

I didn’t know Andrea, but I felt them share from this place—so many did. What a gift. Thank you. Rest in peace. 🕊️