Vulnerability Matters by Teagan

Vulnerability Matters by Teagan - June 2022 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my life, I have read a lot of books. I have gone through reading phases so some of these books just blend together. However, a book that I finished a few weeks ago really stuck with me. Colleen Hoover has quickly become one of my favorite authors and her book Ugly Love is one of my all-time favorites.
One of the reasons I loved this story so much was due to the complexity of the characters. The way that she makes them so relatable makes them feel so real and it’s so easy for readers to get caught up in their story throughout the novel. The character Miles Archer is a pilot with a very heartbreaking past. He fell in love with his high school sweetheart and had a child together as teens, but their son tragically passed away in an accident only a few days after he was born. Rachel and Miles don’t stay together after the death of their child, and this obviously has a huge impact on Mile’s ability to love. He meets Tate, his best friend’s little sister and they begin a relationship. However, Miles makes it very clear to Tate that he will never fall in love with her. He is very secretive as to why and he doesn’t tell her anything about his past. This continually gets in the way of things between them, and he ultimately ends up breaking Tate’s heart. Of course, they get their happy ending, but not before Miles has to open up and share his deepest secrets.
The lesson that I learned from Mile’s character was it’s important to be vulnerable no matter what. I definitely relate to him because I am not one to let people in easily and I don’t want to be perceived as weak. He was the exact same way and his vulnerability cost him his happiness at multiple points in the book. As a reader, it’s so easy to be like I’m not going to ever hold things in the way that he does, but after finishing the novel, I really reflected and understood what I need to make sure to do so I don’t make the same mistakes in my life.