Dear Laura Molina,
I want to thank you for sharing your words and artwork with the world. If it wasn't for the statement you posted on your site for the Naked Dave series, then I would have never felt so connected to you. I recently left an unhealthy relationship that I'm still trying to heal from. I don't want to pin all my personal issues on my ex-partner but it's difficult to move on. I can only imagine how it felt to lose a child even if Dave wasn't worth being a father.
Lately, I've been questioning the power of romantic and/or intimate love. Love is powerful enough to bring people together yet it can easily be destroyed. I just remembered a bell hooks quote, "But love is really more of an interactive process. It's about what we do not just what we feel. It's a verb, not a noun", that I read this week and how love is so colonized. I always say you don't have to say I love you to let someone know you love them, instead, you show it. I guess my ex-partner and my perception of him never made it known that he loved me. I was obsessed with him and let my fear of being alone smother him to the point of annoyance. His uncontrollable jealousy also made me question his love. When does loyalty turn into possession? How does the heart know what it wants? I had a million reasons to leave him yet I stayed because I didn't know loving myself was more important. Thus, I find it powerful that art allowed you to express the grief, loss, and anger that Dave Stevens left behind and you were able to channel this energy into creative work that I can relate to. I am tired of crying and blaming myself for my failed relationship. You've inspired me to find my outlet. Again, thank you for being honest and reaffirming that art can heal.
Best regards,
Janel Preciado
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