An Open Letter To The Friends I’ve Lost Because Of My Political Affiliation

To my lost friends,

It has come to my attention that many of my old friends, and even some who I thought were still current friends, have disassociated themselves from me. I understand that friends grow apart over time, we move on and that’s life. What I can’t understand is how some people can act like we were never friends at all and seem to forget about all the fun times we used to have together, simply because of differing political ideologies.

I am, and always have been, myself. Some of you have known me my whole life, have memories of us playing together as children, working on school projects together, or running together on the field or track. I am still that person. I am still your classmate, teammate, shoulder to cry on, lunch date, late night driver, concert goer, and (most importantly) your friend. I love and cherish the memories we made together. I have pictures of us still hanging on my walls. Although these pictures are from about four years ago or longer, I know I’m still the same person and deep down I think you are too. You may even have these same photos, and I wonder what you think of if you ever look at them.

You may think I’m racist, homophobic, selfish, uneducated, and ignorant, simply for what I believe and who I vote for. That is not the case at all. I love all people, just as God has commanded. John 13:34-35 reads, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” As a follower of Christ, I do love all people with every fiber of my being; it deeply hurts when people, my friends, say otherwise. I may not agree with your lifestyle or opinion, but I am not the one to judge. I will continue to love you for who you are and pray for your health and happiness.

This letter goes out to, unfortunately, a decent number of people. I’m not asking for you to reach out or try to explain yourself. I’m not even asking you to follow me back on Instagram. I understand that you may not even read this, and if you do, you might resent me for it. I’m not looking for attention or an apology. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty or ashamed. If you read this, I hope you feel happiness and love, and you think back on the memories we share and be grateful for them. You may not want to be my friend anymore and that’s really okay. I will always be your friend. If you ever do want to talk, that would be really nice, and I look forward to it.

This isn’t an apology letter or a plea for your friendship. I will not apologize for who I am, and you shouldn’t either. For too long I’ve kept these emotions bottled up, keeping me down, lost, and confused. By writing this letter I am letting all my thoughts out into the open for everyone to read, and I feel a lot more at peace now.

I thank you for our friendship, the memories, and for helping me mature and build as a person. Without you, I would not be who I am today. Every person who enters our lives does so for a reason. I am glad for you to have been a part of my life.

Your Friend,

Mickey

Mickey is a senior at Widener University, studying political science and communications. She is involved in Young Women for America, Turning Point USA, and PragerFORCE. Aside from politics, Mickey enjoys graphic design, reading and painting. She aspires to one day become the White House Press Secretary.