Dear Annie

“Dear Annie” is a powerful comeback story of a girl named Annie. A journey woven with raw but honest imperfections, honest reflections, resilient character and life’s lessons carved through struggle.

 It’s a beautiful reminder of what it means to choose you -to rediscover self-belief, self-love, and expression –unapologetically.

So come along and navigate into the imperfect but deeply real world of Annie. Where flaws meet grace, and every quiet moment is a step back home to self.

 

Annie and True Reflection

Annie often searched for her true reflection in the mirror.The mirror always met her with brutal honesty, i.e. her belly rolls, stretch marks and her rounder self. Each time, it made her frown. Why does it show my body? she wondered. What if it reflected my inner self, i.e., my thoughts, my understanding nature, my hard work, my comebacks even on days when everything felt cold, blank and -heavy ? This thought softened something inside her and it lingered with her like a sweet fragrance, lifting her entire day and she continued her day feeling strong.

Her frown melted into a soft and gentle smile. She stood straighter with her face glowing with grace. That day, she embraced herself fully, and for the first time in a while, she loved what she saw.

That confidence and self–love followed her like sunlight. It lit up every part of her day she did –the warmth in the food she cooked, the rhythm in the steps as she swept the floor, the agility while doing dishes, the depth in her blog posts, the tenderness with which she cared for her parents and the quiet power in her evening walk through the park.

Her walk was brisk and proud.

The food was delicious and nourishing.

Her writing was rich with insight.

Her love was soft, steady, and deeply felt.

Everything felt just right. Not perfect -but whole.

A week later, Annie caught up with viral fever. The sore throat, aching limbs, and high fever left her feeling drained and exhausted. She couldn’t cook, couldn’t write and she couldn’t walk the usual path in the park. She sipped warm soup and took medications for her condition and she stayed curled in her bed, eyes closed, resting.

While lying on her bed with her eyes closed the quiet wrapped around her and so did her thoughts. There are people in the world who are battling much worse .Chronic illness, grief, broken homes, empty wallets and so much more which is unsaid .Indeed life is challenging and imperfect but still it is mine.

 Annie may not be producing, glowing and achieving but still it is Annie. Annie, a girl who is momentarily paused but still here in her own world-even when she was just –healing.

Annie realized that her worth is not measured by what she does but by what she is , even on quiet and imperfect days.

And maybe that is the truest reflection of all.

 

Annie’s Life Lessons

Some mornings, Annie would spend quiet time honing her makeup skills. A little blush flushing her cheeks, a sweep of gloss lit up her lips, sharp eyeliner accentuated the beauty of her eyes and a peach highlighter added glow to her round cheeks .It made her day.

It was not just doing makeup –it was a moment of art brushing her face like a canvas and a daily ritual of color and self-expression. She often scrolled through beauty influencers –admiring their flawless makeup techniques and seemingly perfect lives shining high in all walks of life.

Staring herself at the mirror and silently praising her skills used to add to her confidence.

But a question lingered.

Is it enough? She wondered. Is beauty just a glowing face, a good dress, and matching stilettos? Or is there more-something deeper, something with soul? 

For few moments she ponders over the thought and felt serious.

And then, her inner voice rose gently: We all are wonderful, beautiful, and worthy of love.

She smiled –softly first, then with more certainty.

She picked up her coral lipstick, her loyal companion, and applied it like reliving an old memory.

After her beauty ritual and cooking, she picked her phone to scroll views and likes over her latest blog.

Her fingers hovered over the phone and she realized her blogs are barely seen .Few views and fewer likes.

A silence crept in. Not the peaceful kind-the hollow one.

What’s the point of writing? she sighed. Why write when no one reads? She felt within her heart.

She went into quiet sadness-melancholy chambers. A sadness that echoes.

So she decided take a sabbatical – from writing, from chasing. For six, maybe seven  months , her words were hibernated, curled up somewhere inside her, waiting for sunlight.

One fine afternoon, while watching a motivational film, something stirred. The story followed a man struggling with finances and grief of losing his grandmother. Despite everything ,he studied  tirelessly-eight hours working in a library ,the rest spent preparing for India’s toughest government exam with bare minimum amount of sleep. His persistence paid off. He cracked the exam.

Something about his fire, reignited hers.

Annie thought, ‘if he can do-so can I’.

Annie picked her laptop and started scrolling writing competitions and her blogs while feeling grateful to god and the beautiful message conveyed by the movie.

The message of not giving up even in tough times worked as summer for her words and the message lit her thoughts like inner sunshine.

She decided to write her own journal-DEAR ANNIE .The story entailed her imperfections, character, struggles, life lessons and journey.

She published it quietly.

The next morning ,a comment waited for her :“Thank You I needed this”.

One sentence .Gentle but mighty.

 Annie realized that the right people always notice your work.

Post that gentle but mighty encouragement given by the woman’s praise she kept writing. But this time her writing was not with pressure but with purpose.

And Annie?

 She is not a girl to show off but a leading lady to show up with her write ups reads like a love letter to self-belief and purpose.

 

Parental Love in Annie’s Life – The People Who Believed First

Before the flair for makeup added color to Annie‘s beauty,

Before the gentle writing began touching hearts,

Before the confident walks in the park radiated quiet strength- There were Annie’s parents.

They had always been by her side.

Back when Annie was preparing for her competitive exams, hoping to land a prestigious role after completing her engineering degree from a reputed university, it was her parents who kept her grounded and going.

Her father played a pivotal role, guiding her academically from school through college and into the demanding world of competitive preparation. He helped her understand complex topics and showed her how to study, revise, and persist with focus.

Her mother, ever calm during that demanding phase of Annie’s life, poured her soul into caring for her daughter. She was Annie’s motivation on days when the weight of expectation made her frown or feel disheartened and frown.

“You must try your best without losing hope -and always believe in God,” her mother would say.

That single line became a sea of motivation within Annie-carried gently, held deeply.

It was because of Annie parents’ rich values, nurturing care, and constant encouragement , Annie grew into a girl of confidence, and quiet resilience. A girl with self-belief and immense gratitude- for both her parents and for the grace of God.

Her parents stayed-always stayed by her side.

They never felt pressure or shame even at challenging times in Annie’s study time. Annie’s parents love had always been unconditional, gentle and present –speaking volumes about their precious love for Annie.

And when Annie began working in an advisory firm ,their support didn’t waver. They celebrated her growth.

And still, they stood beside her.

Then came the unexpected leap: Annie chose to leave her salaried job to follow her passion –to write. And still, they stood beside her.

They felt Annie’s blooming words flowing through her fingertips. They carefully heard Annie’s blog posts when she read them aloud. They were always there for their daughter.

One evening while Annie was editing a blog post, her father passed by and casually said “You’ve found your thing, haven’t you”?

Annie looked up, surprised. “What thing?”

“This”, he nodded towards her laptop.

“Writing .It suits you. You’re calmer.”

Her voice melted and carried with emotion.

That moment made something clear: Her strength didn’t just come from nowhere. It was shaped –patiently, lovingly –by her parents.

 A river of love that flowed quietly beneath her all these years.

The river of love having unconditional love for their daughter which never asked for anything but herself.

Just Annie.

Finding Annie’s Purpose- Finding Her Why

One morning, when Annie was sipping her milkshake she carefully saw the sun filtered through the window on her writing desk. She completed her milkshake and calmly opened her laptop. Her fingers were typing her blooming words for her next writing piece –“Annie’s Purpose in the World”. Suddenly, her fingers were poised towards something beautiful.

Annie had her words-but lately, she not just needed a writing piece woven with words, but- a purpose. Yes Annie’s Purpose in the World.

Annie wondered, “Why am I writing this piece? Is it because I love writing? Is it for the pursuit of recognition? “

“Why”, she reiterated in her mind.                              

Annie had poured her soul in finding her “WHY” , but went clueless.

While searching for her “Why” she maintained consistency in her writing for the sake of her love for writing. Not for likes. Not for applause.

She kept writing for the sake of putting something kind, beautiful and something honest to the world.

Then one morning after cooking delicious savory pancakes with coconut condiment, Annie picked her mobile and she saw a notification for her writing piece. It was from a girl Mayra. She clicked it with excitement.

“Hi Annie, I just read your blog post ‘Annie’s Purpose in the World’. I cried. It felt like you wrote it just for me .I’ve been so hard on myself, lately. Thank you for reminding me I am not alone. I feel stronger from within and it has given wings to my passion. Currently, I am here-‘here in my own beautiful world’. But, from now on, I too can put something beautiful to the world”.

Annie read the lines twice, then once more.

Her eyes welled with tears. Those tears were not of pride or praise, but were of recognition.

She saw a version of herself in Mayra. The girl who doubted her worth. Who paused her dreams .Who once questioned if her voice mattered at all.

And now, that same voice had reached someone.

Comforted someone.

Made someone feel seen.

That’s when it clicked. This was her why.

Not likes. Not views. Not praise.

Her purpose was people. Her mission was meaning.

Annie had put her mobile aside, and quietly smiled. A smile that blooms from deep within , not a smile one wears for a photo.

Later that week Annie had started her social writing forum on her social networking handle. The forum named – “From pain to connection –From silence to stories”.

Her writing forum initially encompassed fifty girls. They started sharing their experiences. They would write, talk and simply be. For the first time Annie wasn’t writing alone. She wasn’t healing alone. She wasn’t growing alone.

Every Friday, they held online meeting. They discussed , shared ideas.

One Friday, during meeting a girl Lily asked Annie- “What writing means to you?”

Annie replied, “Writing saved me first .And now, I hope it holds space for someone else”.

That’s what purpose does-it expands.

From self …to others ,

From pain to connection, from silence …to stories.

Dear Annie,

You choose yourself,

You were held by love.

And now you hold space for others.

That is your magic.

That is your power.

That is your why.

 

Authors’ Note: Why I Wrote “Dear Annie”

“Dear Annie” is more than just a story-it is a love letter to oneself. A quiet, reflective journey that honors self- worth, the inner voice, and the power of showing up for yourself again, and again.

Annie’s journey mirrors fragments of my own –her questions, her struggles and her quiet victories. It showcases life’s journey of a girl named Annie who was grappling with insecurities, battling with self doubt, or taken a leap of faith when the world expected her to stay still.

Through her story , I wanted to explore themes of self-worth, lessons learned in life, parental love, personal transformation and ultimately-purpose. Her story is a gentle reminder that our imperfections do not disqualify us from growth-they make us real, and sometimes, that’s what others need the most.

If you’ve found even a small part of yourself in Annie, then this story has done what it was meant to do.

Thank you for stepping into Annie’s world. May it gently lead you home -to yourself.

___ Ananya Sharma

     Thank You.