All the bright places with Theodore Finch

Dear Theodore Finch,

You were there for Violet Markey, when no one else was. You accepted her for who she was and made her a better person everyday she was with you. You not only taught her, but also us, that you don’t have to be on Everest to have a change in perspective, just a two-feet tall rock and a heart to see things differently would suffice. Even your silence spoke. You teamed up with her on a school geography project, just so that you could help her back to being normal. All the while, I thought that your trips to find beauty in Indiana was for a school project or to make Violet happy, but the truth is that you also had to stay Awake. Once a person is labeled a Freak, it becomes his last name. But you didn't let it come in the way of you trying to make someone's life better. The places you’ve been with Violet, be it the small tomb or the mini-roller coaster or the shoe tree, you both have been searching for bright places all along, not realizing that having each other by your side, was the brightest of them all. Though Kate was unable to answer the question you asked her about your dad, you should have convinced yourself otherwise. You never know if you were going to be as bad as him.

How could you possibly think like that when you were in your most happiest places with Violet? I understand that you have your dark moments, is that not what friends are for, friends like Charlie who never abandoned you and stood by you all the time? You always knew that the darkest moments would pass by, didn’t you? This is what you taught Violet. Then why did you not just let it pass. Why did you have to go searching for the bottom, not to be found?

But you wanted only Violet to find you. In the traveler’s church, when she was searching for the entries, a part of me wished you didn’t write that epitaph, but you did. I’m sorry to bother you with so many questions. I don’t even know if this would reach you and even if it does, you’d want to write back. There’s a part of me who’ll always cherish you, as “I was here- T.F.”.

Love,

Yours truly.