She smiles, a little sadly. The picture was worn with time and dull with age. The edges were frayed and the image was dusty. It felt papery in Melissa’s fingers and delicate, like it’d tear at any moment.

Carol looked exactly the way Melissa remembered her. Her hair was out, wild, and tangled. Her dress, a pastel green that flapped in the wind.

She was smiling, a radiant smile that seemed to carry over to Melissa even through a worn picture. She was carefree, confident, and bold. Always making a statement.

Melissa looked at the image of her younger self next to Carol. She was diligent. A stiff look never off her face. Posture perfect, hair well done, having too much make-up even when she was way too young for it.

While it never seemed like it, Melissa could still remember the burden and expectations that were weighing on her shoulders, still remember how she acted like everything was perfect and great when she threatened to collapse at any moment. How no one ever seemed to notice or know the real Melissa.

Except Carol.

Carol took one look at a nervous Melissa on the first day of school on kindergarten, strode confident steps right up to her, and said a big loud, “Chillax!”

While they grew up, Carol always repeated the same line over and over to Melissa. “Be yourself,”

Melissa used to shun the words, tell Carol that she had no idea what she was talking about, that she didn’t have the same problems. The same burdens. The same expectations.

But Carol was right.

Melissa never realized it until fifteen years ago, when Carol died. Melissa still remembered the grief, the devastation, and how for once Melissa didn’t hide her emotions. She was done hiding emotions. She was done being perfect for someone else and shattering inside.

Melissa grew. She became better. She became herself. She became free.

And even though Melissa missed Carol so, so much, she was glad she stumbled upon this picture.

Carol changed the way Melissa thought about herself. Carol changed the way Melissa showed herself. Carol dampened on Melissa’s fears and anxieties.

It didn’t matter if Carol was gone, the impact she made still lived on. The impact she made on Melissa. She changed everything for her.

Everything.