Before this becomes a library of letters, I want to begin with a small introduction.
When I first envisioned Take What You Need (TWYN), I imagined it as something entirely physical: people moving through a space, seeing a wall of letters, & reaching for the one that felt like it was written just for them.
They could run their fingers over the envelope, take it home, and let it live on a nightstand or mirror, a small reminder that they were seen.
But the more TWYN grew, the more I realized I did not want its impact to be limited to the people who could be in the room.
Healing should not be bound by geography or timing.
So I chose to create a digital home as well. Snippets of letters will live on TWYN’s social platforms, & the full, unabridged letters & reflective prompts will be shared here.
What if you could encounter words that affirm or validate you right where you already are?
That question shaped TWYN, my interactive installation featuring letters addressed to the quiet aches people often carry alone.
Over the past few months, bringing TWYN into community spaces across Kansas City has shown me how deeply people crave small moments of recognition & care.
If you are curious about the project itself, I have linked a PDF that shares more of its story, purpose, & impact. And if you are new here, you can explore more about me and my other work here.
For now, I want to begin this space the way the installation always begins: with a letter written for someone who might need it.
Dear You,
This season arrives with pressure.
The lights, the music, the gatherings, the holiday cheer. Everywhere you turn, there are reminders of how you are supposed to feel, how you are supposed to show up. But your heart may be somewhere else entirely. Maybe you feel tired. Maybe you feel numb. Maybe the excitement everyone else feels simply does not reach you this year.
There is nothing wrong with you if the holidays feel heavier than joyful. There is nothing wrong with you if you are moving slower, feeling quieter, or needing more space than usual.
Not every season of life lines up with the season outside your window, & that is okay.
It is possible you are carrying more than people realize. It is possible you are simply worn out from a long year. Whatever the reason, your feelings are valid. You do not have to perform happiness.
Ask yourself:
What do I truly need this season, not what tradition demands?
Where can I make room for rest or softness instead of pressure?
Your spirit is not missing.
It is recalibrating.
It is resting.
It may return in its own time, in a form that feels more genuine & gentle than anything you have known before.
You deserve to move through this season at your own pace. You deserve to honor what this moment in your life truly feels like.
With you in the quiet edges of this season,
Kasim