Dear soma:

Back in April 2021, when you started this thread, you were at the end of the 10th grade in high school, I believe, two years to graduation, studying in one of the best high schools in Turkey. You were very anxious at the time, “anxious all around the clock“, you wrote. You were stressed about the high expectations people had of you, “to have a great career” was one such expectation. “(I) don’t even know what I like to do“, you wrote at the time, but you were thinking about a career in business, “I can see myself in a suit going to work“, you wrote back in April 2021.

You shared that your father left you and your mother when you were a baby and she was 19. He then returned 10 years later “to manipulate the hell out of (you)”,  but you had “a soft spot for him and that drives everyone around (you) crazy“. You shared that you were “afraid of him leaving again” even though you only talked to him once a month.

In November 2021, you shared: “I have a significant other that I really cherish“.

Next you posted was yesterday, July 30, 2022. You shared that you are in the 12th grade of high school, currently feeling suffocated in the July summer heat, and saddened by the thought of separating from your “beautiful school” in less than a year. Your school is Beşiktaş Anadolu Lisesi aka Beşiktaş Anatolian High School, located on the European side of Istanbul and one of the best schools in Turkey (beautiful images online). You are busy studying for college exams 8 hours a day.

You’ve suffered a series of losses this year: the death of your precious cat in January, the ending of  your friendship with your best friend who ended the friendship “without an explanation“, and the loss of your relationship with your significant other in May. Thankfully, you wrote, you still have your “current best friend and many others” with you.

“Also another big thing… my dad has cancer. he already had three surgeries this year and that’s the furthest of details I can pour out without having a breakdown“.

“I don’t know your name your age, anything about you but it seems that when I’m in my lowest I remember you. you are familiar. thank you for being here“- thank you very much, soma. You are very kind, always have been on your thread and I appreciate you for it. My screen name is my real name (anita). I am much older than you but when I attended high school it was not too far away from yours. I grew up with the summer heat you are familiar with- although it was less hot than it is now because of the escalating climate change- but it sure felt very hot and very humid back then, and no air conditioning.

I would very much like to read more from you and reply further. I will soon be away from the computer for a while and but will post again in your thread when I return.

anita