I recently came across my high school diary. Reading through it was equal parts traumatizing, embarrassing and hilarious.

Even more recently, I had the opportunity read said diary to a bar full of people.

The event was, quite fittingly, called ‘Dear Diary.’ The premise was exactly that: embracing and sharing our 15-year-old selves with an audience of people eager and willing to laugh and reflect on their own high school heartbreaks. Nothing anyone read was an attempt to be funny; it just naturally was, and everyone was eager to laugh and enjoy because everyone could relate to the memory of being young, naïve and over dramatic.

And that is what I loved the most about this event – everyone’s eagerness to laugh with each other and be a part of it. The guy who spoke after me read this amazingly funny love letter he wrote for his high school crush. It was endearing and lovely and genuinely hilarious. And I think it’s so rare to be able to share these kinds of real moments with people – real memories and life stories that aren’t being exaggerated or over blown in any way.

When I was 15, I truly thought he was the one. I truly thought my life had peaked and I would never stop being broken. And looking back on that feeling was such a unique opportunity to recognize how far I’ve come and how wonderful life has been.

For me, finding and reading my diary was a period of time quite simultaneous with stresses and broken-ness in my current life. And yes, I’m a little (a lot?) more rational now and understand that life goes on and yes, getting hurt sucks. But I know how to bounce back. I understand that even when I’m stuck in this seemingly endless time of feeling down and lost, I have the control this time around to either remove myself from a situation and move on, or make peace with where I’m at.

The ‘Dear Diary’ event was insanely liberating and empowering in reminding me that I am the fucking best. I love that two people saw an opportunity in old and worn high school diaries – and not just an opportunity to get people laughing over a pint – an opportunity to stir up feelings; to grow; to laugh; and to be better for it.

If you’ve ever kept a diary or read a diary or seen a diary or know what a diary is – go to this event. It is fun and beautiful and makes you feel so very, very free.

Check them out on Facebook for more info!