42 Comments
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maja roglić's avatar

ohHhh this is what baldwin meant when he said it’s a great liberation to read something you thought only happened to you happened to dostoyevsky 100 years ago. except it was this weekend and to valerie

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Valerie's avatar

maja i'm crying.... so true

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Perceiver's avatar

Literally

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Moone's avatar

I love how immersive and vulnerable this piece is. It flows perfectly and is so easy to read. It’s even smoothing and give a sense of nostalgia, making me want to go to a party and fall in love again

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Valerie's avatar

i’m on my knees thank you 😭❤️❤️

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madison michelle's avatar

whoever u write love letters for is so lucky

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Valerie's avatar

best comment i’ve ever gotten

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Rukmani Venugopalan's avatar

How is it possible for you to romanticize yearning even more and make us feel seen without shame! This is beautiful <3

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Valerie's avatar

ahhh thank you so much, happy you enjoyed it

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Caroline Beuley's avatar

Wow I feel like you captured my early twenties! There is such magic in the possibility parties offer. Even if the outcome is sometimes painful, I keep coming back, because the hoping and imagining is sometimes the best part

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Valerie's avatar

a party can be so needed and so good for the soul <3 thank you caroline

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lady j <3's avatar

this is one of the most sensual pieces of writing i’ve ever read. you have a beautiful way with words

also bought a horse which i dont need at all.

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Valerie's avatar

i feel like an unprompted horse would make me so happy… thank you 💕

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Jas's avatar

I love this post so much. I'm still kinda recovering from a semi recent breakup and reading this i think was the final thing I needed to hear. I'm so ready to walk into not only parties but just rooms in general with that ambitious goal of getting my heart broken cause God it feels good to be on the other side.

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Valerie's avatar

your self-awareness will get you through heartbreak every single time, jas <3 sending love

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Samriddhi Banerjee's avatar

This was an experience. You know, 3 years ago I did this online course named The Science of Well-Being and in that course was taught, the difference between Wanting and Miswanting. To want a car simply for the sake of it is Miswanting but to want an experience, such as travelling, eating some delectable food, sex as well is Wanting. You see, reading other essays, mostly I feel that I'm reading anecdotes of an old friend and for only some of the essays I feel it was an experience. Therefore, when I say I like to read essays, this is what I mean, to have experiences. Same for your essay Valerie! ♡

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Erin's avatar

This is so atmospheric and makes me want to go to a party immediately. It's been so long since I have, but I think I need to seek them out so I can experience the unique feelings that happen in a room full of strangers trying to let loose again.

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Sara's avatar

so glad to see i'm surrounded by yearners here on substack...I spent so much time thinking this was just me (as your tosltoy quote proves luckily that's not the case), obsessing over someone at a party, thinking about a fleeting connection for longer than I would like to admit, loved this <3 and it made me want to go to a house party and fall in love ugh

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Sophie's avatar

absolutely flawless piece made even more flawless by the inclusion of tolstoy's purchase of the unnecessary horse

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Valerie's avatar

sophie ❤️❤️❤️ i knew you’d get it!

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Kaothar Kadir's avatar

this is so weird cause I literally JUST finished watching The Piano Teacher and Bam! There she is as the essay image

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Valerie's avatar

isabelle huppert nation rise !!

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eva's avatar

referencing leo tolstoy and charli xcx in the same paragraph is iconic

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sophie's avatar

this is absolutely beautiful, your words smooth like ice in a glass — and kind of gently slapped me in the face with an image of the bartender i had/ve a crush on; the cursed lighthouse of every party i’ve been to with most wicked smile and delicious daiquiri, my favorite heartbreak

everyone needs a little party to feel how nice and gruesome life and love are

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Valerie's avatar

nice and gruesome is the perfect word pair. thank you so much sophie!

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Amalia's avatar

This is honestly one of the best pieces I’ve read on Substack!

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Valerie's avatar

that means so much to me, thank you!

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Marguga's avatar

''What is the difference between a crowded room and a miracle? One is a backdrop for the other. I find you in both.''

wow, just wow

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Valerie's avatar

thank you so much 🩵🩵🩵

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