Dear Erica...

Forget the past, but never forget what it has taught you.

No one is perfect, but owning up to your imperfections is a quality that makes a person respectable. Let's get something straight, Erica. You stole my boyfriend. You lie in your blog. You’re straight forward about it on TV more than once, but at this point it doesn’t matter because it's not about the guy…. The fact that you are even trying to excuse it and LIE is a testament to your character. You haven’t changed. I had every right to tell you your behavior was erratic, toxic, and unmanageable because it was and it’s been the same since we were younger. I’m not perfect by any means, but your behavior in the Hamptons shows it hasn't changed. It was self-destructive. That's why I don’t care to get to know you. I can’t respect someone who doesn't respect herself.

Erica, I wasn’t wrong to tell you to your face how I felt. Sometimes the truth hurts, but I hope you can take this experience and look at it as your wake-up call. It's not my responsibility to be your camp counselor and tell you what is right or wrong, but if I were you, I would want to better myself. It’s hard to tell someone that you aren’t even close to and aren’t fond of that you think negatively about them. That was one of the weirdest situations I have ever been in.  I owned my behavior at the table and acted as an adult when I refused to tell the other girls the conversation between us -- because it was between us.  

Erica, you need to want to change yourself and take responsibility for your actions. Mommy and Daddy can’t always pay to get you out of real-life situations. Everyone has been through situations, obstacles at all different levels, and it’s how you handle them and learn from them that make you a better person. Your apology doesn’t mean anything because I’m not sure you even knew what you were saying, but I've moved past it. It's hard to reach someone who doesn't want to be reached. We all have the ability to choose our friends and I don’t want to be friends with someone who doesn’t want to be friends with herself. A friend shouldn’t feel responsible to take care of you at almost age 30. I’m not sure what went wrong, but responsibility, values, and work ethic are nowhere on your radar. You're hurting yourself and have the capacity to hurt someone else. That is not a friend.Joey, I was a little disappointed to see you being judgmental and condescending when you put Ashlee down for calling her dad. You could have kept  quiet or just laughed it off and appreciated that Ashlee has a close relationship with her father. I don’t have a close relationship with mine, and I think Ashlee is lucky for having one. You seemed to be focusing on the negative attributes of everyone. This isn't what I'd want from any of my friends. Being a good friend is someone that lifts you up when you’re down and brings you higher.  You made a comment that I switched overnight.  Although it's not my responsibility to help Erica, I noticed she was very  concerned with my approval, so I figured maybe I could reach her in some way before she seriously hurt herself. I’m adult enough to put my  issues aside because I think she could be in real  trouble. Erica has no regard for me, Chanel, her friends, herself, and now Rob. No matter our  issues, I still wouldn't want to see anything happen to Erica.

I can forget the past but  will never forget what it has taught me.

Speak the truth even if your voice shakes. Every situation and experience shapes who you are today. Embrace who you are… always.

I’m being grateful for all the support. I love hearing from you! If you aren’t following me on Twitter and Instagram @CaseyLCohen, please do so.

Xo,

CC