#happybdayjared

For someone who has a deep admiration for words and their multifarious uses, it can be utterly frustrating to be unable to craft a letter, a sentence, or even a word that fully encompass what Jared Padalecki means to me and to all his fans. Even for someone who has no love of literature or word play, the inability to communicate who he is to us can be wholly vexing. 

But we try nevertheless. Why? Because he means that much to us. Because without him in the world, hope would simply lie flat and meaningless on the paper, nothing more than ink stained paper. Hope. He does more than save lives. I’ve read countless stories of fans who testify to his smile that comforted them, his earnest gaze that brought fresh perspective to their humanity, and his work that provided them a future. All this, he gives selflessly, graciously. He could have stopped there and still have been considered a good person, yet he gives more. He gave us himself. 

Anyone who has been touched with depression knows the torture, the hellscape that is this affliction. It’s like being drowned without the chance of ever breathing crisp clean air again. Despite this, despite the right to privacy. He allowed insight to the one of the most difficult things a person has to live with. He provided normalcy, encouraged conversation, and created community just from being openly honest. This was more than enough for most. He could have been know as a great man for just this, but he gave more.

He pushed himself further. “Charities”, “Social Work”, “Outreach” looks good on paper, but normally lack personability among others. Yet, it would be fallacy to claim Jared is anything but 100% invested in his campaigns. #Alwayskeepfighting & #Youareenough aren’t just for publicity. They’re for the individuals that make up the community. He gave us a place to devise support and familiarity, a place that means as much to you as it does to him. He crafted a mantra to hold on our tongues in times of upset and a battle cry against the dark forces of our minds.

At the end of my explanation, no matter how many times I reread or rewrite, gather or learn new information, or increase my lexicon and my communication skills, my words lay as letters pressed together to form words instead of painting my meaning. Nothing I say can resonate with the same intensity as the admiration in my heart because Jared Padalecki is unique and words that have been used a million times cannot compare:

Thank you. We love you. You made the world a better place. We’re glad you exist. We’re proud of you.

Not being able to fully transfer what he means to us is exasperating, yet we must try because he deserves to know.