59 Comments
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mary wallace's avatar

I’m a chronic lover girl but this was written so beautifully it has me considering the possibilities of impermanent attachments. “You weren’t mine to keep but you’re mine to remember” Shakespeare is rolling in his grave wishing he wrote this.

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J E's avatar

God witty men. always a do I want them or do I want to BE them…slash do I want to EAT them until the last morsel situation

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Valerie's avatar

SO TRUE

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Laura Bee Rita Wilson's avatar

I call these ones - my lovers. Not exes, not situationships or people I’ve “dated”. Just lovers, especially the perfectly cinematic, foreign, burst-of-flame affairs that you’ve so beautifully described. This makes me miss those chapters..

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Valerie's avatar

exactly! lovers! no further elaboration 😌🧘‍♀️❤️

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Natalia's avatar

valerie, this is one of my favorites writing posts on substack. thank you so much. will come back every month

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Valerie's avatar

Natalia ❤️😭😭😭 thank you so much

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Cleo in life's avatar

I shed a few tears reading this the same way I shed tears when I read Annie Ernaux, a habit I tend to have after every so called romance, short, long, sweet or bitter-sweet, they all consume me and I love putting gasoline on my sadness. I am in the middle of another one, I think, I'm not even sure... but for this night your piece was my gasoline.

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Valerie's avatar

Annie Ernaux is my favorite author and this post was partially inspired by Simple Passion! you and i are so on the same page it’s crazy 🤍🥹 thank you

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Cleo in life's avatar

Ahaha, I thought about a Simple Passion and Getting Lost while reading this :))

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Helena Moma's avatar

Ok, I'm obsessed with this essay. This was SOOOOO good!!!! Girl, thanks

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Valerie's avatar

helena!!! merci ❤️❤️

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J E's avatar

Also Valerie have you done a favorite novels list? I would lovee to hear your recommendations!!

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Valerie's avatar

will do!!

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milah's avatar

This shifted something in me and I’m gonna obnoxiously recommend it to anyone the second the conversation hits the situationship tower and I have to defend it’s ephemeral beauty/crudeness. I’m so obsessed with your writing style, it’s practically cinematic 🙂‍↕️💗

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Valerie's avatar

milah ❤️😭 thank you so so much it means a lot

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val roxas's avatar

CINEMATIC!!! Yes!!!

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Angelina Hazzouri's avatar

CHILLS. DEVOURED THIS. VALERIE YOU AMAZE ME!!!!!!!!!! i want more !!!! "arching my back like I’ve got OnlyFans due in the morning" was a banger line ...

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Valerie's avatar

angelinaaaaaaaa this means everything & more to me

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Kiera Sona's avatar

this made me yearrrrrnnn!! beautifully written!!!

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Natalia's avatar

For some reason, I tried to skip this reading because of the situationship stuff in the title—not because it's bad, but because I was scared to dive into the topic. But your text kept coming up as if it had something to say, and it did. Valerie, I don’t know you, but I love you for writing this. 💕🥹

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Valerie's avatar

Natalia 🤍🤍🤍 thank you so much, i’m glad this post found you

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val roxas's avatar

I legitimately kept saying “holy shit this is so good” both in my head and out loud as I read through every paragraph. Sooooo many freaking nuggets. I need to read over and over again to sustain all these epiphanies

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Valerie's avatar

thank you val! 😭❤️❤️

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J 💗's avatar

You're gonna make me text him!!!! As a yearner and lover girl who can never sit still and longs for freedom, this really made me think about my own experiences, wants, and needs.

Also wtf all that travel? You living my dream life. Beautiful lamentation, I adored it <3

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Valerie's avatar

pls don’t text him & THANK YOU 🤍 !!

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J 💗's avatar

Girl I did and it didn’t end well, so that’s on me LMAO

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lin's avatar

feeling giddy and ready to wine and dine someone after reading this 🤭 so excited to read more of your work 🌟

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Valerie's avatar

lindsey! thank you so much ❤️ do report back please 🥰

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aja marie's avatar

hey stranger i literally love you. this is so good. so good !

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Valerie's avatar

thank you so much 🤍🤍

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Mary Rose's avatar

Gorge, I’ve never had a serious relationship or even situationship, I have brief little somethings that are never meant to go anywhere so I loved this

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Valerie's avatar

they are often much better than relationships 👼 cheers!

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