An open letter to Lionel Messi

Dear Leo,

As I am writing you this, my hands are shaking, reality is hitting harder than I thought. When the news of your departure first came, I denied to believe it because IT CANNOT HAPPEN, RIGHT? LEO MESSI AND BARCELONA are synonymous.

Even during your Press Conference, I didn’t watch because I probably thought it would all get better and it is just a bad dream and will get over soon. Well, it did, with seeing you in a different, my denial ended into a worse reality. You indeed were not going to wear our shirt anymore.

I started watching you when I was very young, I didn’t even understand what you were doing, I just watched in awe as the ball stuck to your feet. Didn’t realize how years passed with the same scene right in front of my eyes. Players came, players went but you stayed the constant.

The constant of Barcelona and the constant source of my happiness. I know it hurts you way more to leave like this, the dream that came true when you were just 13, the dream that has been your reality, our reality was finally coming to an end. Nothing will ever be the same again. Not the dressing room, not Camp Nou, not Barcelona, not us. A part of everything will be empty, incomplete without you.

I know as you said, I know you would come back because this is your home, and somehow ours too. This is where you belong and trust me it will be all the same when you come back, we will again start cheering at the top of our voices. I wouldn’t thank you for what you did for us because you are one of us.

While I am writing this and looking out through the window, it is all coming back. From your goals against Bayern Munich in the 2015 Champions League semifinal first leg to all the Clasico goals that got me jumping off my seat, in the middle of the night.

Oh Leo! You probably don’t know, how much you have changed my life for the better. You made me realize that defeat is never the end but just the start of something new. You taught us to dream, dream with you and you have been making our dreams the reality. That day when you lifted the Copa America this year, it felt like what more I need now that you are happy.

If everyone has a quota of happiness, you can have all of mine, because Oh Leo, what wouldn’t I do for that smile of yours. But you know, what is the most beautiful thing about you? It is the person you are. The emotional, humble ever-smiling person you are, who has picked himself up after every heartbreak, from Copa losses to Iniesta and Xavi departing.

Even during the toughest week, I was never too tired to not watch you. Watching you made me confident, happy. What you do on the field is so beautiful that I probably would never learn words to describe it.

I know when Neymar left, you felt a little too lonely and a part of you wanted to play with him again, and I am so happy that you are with him again, (please tell Luis Suarez not to get too sad by the way) for us it would have felt a little better if it was in our colours. Well, we sound selfish no?

Anyhow, it is really hard to believe that the little No.10 will not be seen running all over the field creating magic. But we are still going on with the hope that you will return and fill our empty selves with your sheer magic. I hope you achieve all that you have dreamt of achieving in the new jersey and we will be ever happy for you.

By the way, it’s one good thing that you will have to travel a little less for your seventh Ballon d’Or right? I know I will never come to terms with you in another jersey, but don’t worry, you keep doing what you do the best, making us feel lucky to witness you. No matter where you go, what you wear, you will always be our own and I will forever be yours.

Eternally yours