Boys.

They’re supposed to be senseless skeletons, only seeking sex and sucess.

But I have never liked stereotypes. Trying to fit completely unique, wonderfully creative human beings into a category leaves people to be broken in-betweens, feeling lost in the grey mist of diversity. They are ghosts, blown away in the wind. But I want to acknowledge the ghosts, to thank them. 

To the boy who is like a brother: Thank you for being a mess. You showed me that it is okay to be ugly, raw, and human. You showed me how to learn from my mistakes. 

To the boy who became my first crush: Thank you for breaking my heart. You showed me how to be a true friend, how to listen and care, how to love. 

To the boys who are family, who are friends, who are more than a stereotype. To all the boys who smile even when all odds defy them, who know how to line a cloud in silver: Thank you for being honest, for saying what might be hard to say. Thank you for helping or leading or supporting. Thank you for being you.

And to everyone else who is the type of ghost to do the right thing, even when it hurts. To every other ghost who throws small acts of kindness like confetti, asking nothing in return. To the ghosts who stand out: Thank you. It’s people like you who make the world a little bit better. It’s people like you who deserve an anchor so you can never be blown away.