Dear Instagram,

As I type these first few words on this sparse document, grateful tears spring to my eyes as I consider the profound ways that you have transformed my life, the immeasurably vast treasures that you have bestowed me with. For the past year, you have been my constant companion, guiding me and directing my attention to what is truly important in my life: the lives of strangers.

You provide brief, invaluable glances into the others’ lives, making me realize how insignificant mine is. For that, I must thank you deeply, for you have allowed me to enhance my focus on what is critical, redirecting my attention away from the irksome assignments that odious teachers have burdened me with and the tedious moments with my family that are far better spent scrolling through images on my phone.

You have given me hope. Hope that one day I might measure up to the visions of perfection that are displayed online, the flawless pictures that are surely representative of people’s daily lives. Yet, more importantly, you have endowed me with a fighting spirit. Constantly battling the hopelessness that has consumed me from comparing my lives with others has made me a fighter, a true warrior.

You have helped me gain a new perseverance. The act of posting a picture can be quite exhausting. The agonizing contemplation over how many likes and comments a post will receive has been known to lead to heart palpitations, restlessness, and sweating in many cases. Then, there is the very act of replying to comments, the insoluble question of whether to include a heart, or perhaps a smiley face, in the expression of thanks.

Of course, once the immediate aftermath of posting a picture is over, I must bear with the long-term effects: the inevitable regret of posting and the newfound disgust that I now have for the once-revered photo. In some cases, this may even result in the archival of the post. Through these struggles, I have become a stronger person; I have fought through these seemingly insurmountable challenges. And it is all thanks to you, my dear friend.

We have been through a lot together. We have faced the battles of posting, rejoiced in the dreams of attaining perfection, and fought against the harassment of teachers and parents to do homework. Through these highs and lows, I have always known that I can count on you. May our paths be forever intertwined and filled with the memories of others’ lives.

Sincerely,

Your Friend