Many Thanks

Written By: Izzy Gavin
Graphic By: Aruna Muthupillai

To my Books:

Thank you. Thank you for learning to love my tears, for enduring each frantic dog ear and scribbled remark. I grip at your pages, so gentle, so fragile, as if they will let go and blow away, lost to the wind like a whisper of smoke. You are the trees’ last breath, the receptacle that brings heart to ink, ink to paper, paper to life. I thank you for your sacrifice, for taking on each mood. It’s as if you are a shadow, always walking a step behind, a little distorted, a little bit new. I read you over and over again, and you are constant, staid, but ever changing, growing with me. My notes across your margins, spilling into the bylines, never seem to bother you. Thank you for growing with me, for letting me take up space. You are my companion always. 

All my Love, 
Isabelle

To the Sky,

I am your biggest fan; I have a photo from every appearance you make, enshrined in a little album on my phone screen. No matter how hard I try, my camerawork never captures your beauty, the complete stupor you imbue within me. You make me feel so small; each of your stars is a galaxy of its own. You remind me that each mistake I make will wither into dust, that it is an honor to live under your expanse, your cream puff clouds, your sun streaked mornings, and your angry storms. I see myself in you, and it makes me feel magnificent, powerful, lovely. Thank you for making every day something beautiful. 

My Greatest Admiration, 
Izzy

Dear Sleepy Time Peach Tea,

Wow- it’s been a long road. I will forever remember the long nights spent with you, reading Where the Sidewalk Ends by starlight, watching Disney Channel reruns in my room. You are such a comfort. You are a piece of home and a fleck of nostalgia, preserved between the circular confines of my mug. You calm me down; you remind me to breathe, to take everything one moment at a time. 

Thank you, 
Izzy

Dear Dance,

Thank you for understanding me. Through every rocky shore you’ve been my life raft, my compass, and my sail. When I begin to spiral, when I am silenced by the incessant, tumultuous waves, you wash me ashore. When I am drinking in the sea salt, gasping for air, choked by emotion, you articulate each thought, each feeling, each sorrow and joy. Thank you for staying with me, for being the one place I can turn. You are my one and only constant and my source of joy. I am forever grateful for you; I couldn’t imagine life without you. Thank you for staying with me through thick and thin, through happiness and anger, confusion and ache. I love you, Dance.

Your BFF🤍,
Izzy Gavin

My Dear Friends, 

I want to thank you for always bringing a smile to my face. I do not always express it well, but I hope you know the ‘how was your day?’ and ‘this made me think of you’ messages never get old. You are so incredibly strong and passionate; you bring me up with you as you grow. People always say you are a combination of the people you spend the most time with; I must be the luckiest girl alive to be surrounded by the most beautiful souls. From silly inside jokes to shared existential crises, I love that we get to navigate this crazy life together. I could not, would not survive without you. 

XoXo, 
Izzy :))

To my Siblings: 

Thank you; even if I utter these two small words with every breath I draw, it will not express how deeply I appreciate you. How no words encapsulate the way my gratitude grows for you every day, tumultuous as it expands past its already infinite bounds. How every Fortnite video you send my way, every insult I incur, every football game I sit through, feigning confusion to anger you, imbue me with your joy. You are crazy, you are changeable, you are always trying something new. Spider-Man one day, pirates the next. I watch you stealing my squish-mallows, eating my food, taking over my camera roll as I watch you grow from miles away. I hope you know, though I will never admit it, you are my sunshine. I love hearing your voices and seeing your smiling faces even if only through a phone screen; though I tell you again and again to stop, please never stop blowing up my phone with your unintelligible voice notes and YouTube shorts. I love you, and I’m proud of you.

The Best Oldest Sister,
Iz

Dear Mom,

I wish I could serve you my gratitude on a glistening platter like the apple slices you place in front of me on drowsy nights. You are a spotlight, the world a sullen stage, drinking your emanating glow. I wish I were a mirror, reflecting your shine; allowing you to bask in the joy that you carry. You pick up my frantic phone calls, though each ring signals an impending doom. You worry about me so that I may worry about everything. You are a rock and I am a raging river; you redirect me, you tell me where to go, where the path is safest. Strongest. Most secure. Still, I erode you, day after day. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, from the depths of my soul, for making me who I am and letting me make mistakes. For staying up late and watching reruns of silly TV shows. For always giving me a piece of your sunshine even as the rain and wind blow.

Love you Forever,
Izzy

Dear Reader, 

This is my gratitude on a single piece of paper, a sliver of my heart on display. I want to thank you. I want to thank you for giving me your most precious gift, your time. Thank you for giving me an open ear and an open mind. You give me a place to express myself, a place to be free, and for that I am eternally, irrevocably grateful.

Many Thanks, 
Izzy Gavin