Hey, Shannon. So...I’ve told you countless things before, things that I’ve repeated over the past, because they’re worth hearing, they’re worth knowing. Told you how much I love you, because you know that, you do.
But, I never run out of things to keep telling you.
I...was going through a pretty rough time, you know they, you do. You might’ve known that I was feeling a little withdrawn- maybe, maybe not as confident as I once was.
Around March time, I actually had a LOT of insecurities with myself in meeting new people, putting myself out there. I found myself lonely, very many nights.
But, that’s where I turned to AvatarRewatch. Always, at 6 PM PST, every night, I had somewhere to be. Even though I couldn’t mod most days, because you knew I was out, I was still THERE, and it gave me SO much comfort to know I always had a community I could fall back on. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I whooped, and you were always there for us ^___^
But, you know what the incredible thing is? This community has ALWAYS been there for me. ALWAYS. I could hop on right now any SECOND, and find myself loved and supported by so MANY people. I’ve made...so MANY friends and become closer with a LOT of others, and...I don’t think you realize that you’ve made that for a lot of other people. You’ve made a FAMILY for SO MANY people, one where we can always turn to, and find support. Not everyone has that, esp with online communities, and that’s v fucking important.
Moreover, you’ve...defined the Avatar community? I feel like, we are so much CLOSER than we ever have been before, and there has never seriously been- ANYTHING like this before. No community engagement, no collaboration, no fun, no- communal sense of feeling as this one has had before. I feel like we’re a stronger fandom, and you’ve re-ignited us all, and we’re just out here loving Avatar and LoK and Korrasami :) :) :) <33
But tbh...I probably would’ve stopped with Korrasami, had it not been for you. Maybe not ENTIRELY, but I went through a REALLY rough few months, where I wasn’t connecting with ANY Korrasami. The AvatarRewatch community was what kept it there for me, brought it back, reminded me I ALWAYS had a home in my heart to go back to. And, tbh, if it weren’t for your constant picfics and presence here, I probably would’ve dropped out altogether! Just...your energy is such a PRESENCE, and it inspires so MANY of us, and I don’t think you truly know how big you are, my friend. You truly don’t.
You really don’t know how much of us you have affected, or how INCREDIBLY amazing your influence has been, on so MANY people (and today has definitely shown, it is PLENTY of people, my darling dear <33), or how amazing your positivity, light, compassion, energy, adorable-ness, dorkiness, sweetness is...you aren’t aware of how much it truly is.
Because let me tell you, you are one of the SHINING examples of what it means to have a ripple effect. Just doing one simple thing- posting a comment, spreading positivity, uploading a fic- makes SO many people’s days SO much better, and you need to know that. WE need you to know that. We’ve dedicated an entire day to you, darling. You remind me that...no matter what we do, and how much we do, someone is always watching...and someone is always counting on us to make their day feel better. Someone takes comfort in our actions, and that’s a beautiful thing.
You make me think, that positivity has a real effect. You’ve made me BELIEVE so. You’ve put so much personal faith in ME to make a difference, and you have ALWAYS believed in me, my darling, and I can not- CAN NOT- explain to you how grateful I am for that. I truly can’t <3. You’ve made me believe in my own power, and my own self, and words cannot express the pure gratitude I have for that, nor will they ever. You’ve...fuck, I’m actually tearing up now, you reassure me so MUCH, that what I do, is so IMPORTANT, and it IS, and I...you’re able to see that ‘I feel everything with every molecule of my being’, and I can not, can NOT, say how thankful I am, that you’re able to understand me, and see my true self. <33
Just...you’re able to see what a kind-hearted, caring, wonderful, amazing person I am, and you have helped me INSTILL that belief for myself, and I can’t thank you enough. <33
Just...I hope you know how much you are loved. (You truly can’t, but). I hope you know how appreciated you are by the community, and COUNTLESS others. I hope you know how absolutely TREASURED you are, and how IMPORTANT you are in this community (and how... how important you’ll always be to ME), I hope you know how precious and absolutely LOVED you are, and we’d do ANYTHING for you. Absolutely anything. You’re our fandom grandma, and we love you for all the entire world <33
So, to the person who makes it all worth it, who always brings light into my life, who’s TRULY created a family out of this fandom- I thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
@threehoursfromtroy , my grandma girlfriend
