Dear Augustus Waters,
A letter to Augustus Waters as well as a special Tribute to Sushant Singh Rajput :)
Dear Augustus Waters,
This is your die hard fan, Aryan. If you had lived long enough to read this letter, perhaps you would have brushed it off comically for how sentimental it is. But let me tell you this, you are one of the most extraordinary human beings I have encountered, even if you only lived in the world of the literature.
You once described your life as "a roller coaster ride which only goes up" . That sentence has stayed with me, ever since because, everything at the end of the day needs to be accepted and if given a choice, why not take it positively? How could someone with numbered days still embrace life with such grace and optimism? Your courage and will are exemplary to rest of mankind.
When you told Hazel, “You put the killing thing right between your teeth but don’t give it the power to do its killing,” I was struck by the sheer defiance in that philosophy. It’s a reminder that while we can’t always control the trials life throws at us, we can choose how much power we allow them to hold over us. That defiance, that choice, inspires me to this day.
Your love for books resonated with me deeply. Like you, I’ve often turned to stories to make sense of the world. I’ve caught myself wishing for a chance to read all of Staff Sergeant Max Mayhem’s adventures, only to remember your wise words: “Life is not a wish-granting factory.” But I do genuinely hope Heaven(If that is where you are, rightfully) be filled with copies of An Imperial Affliction so that you can remain connected to Hazel with that memory.
You once asked Hazel, “You still secretly believe that there is an element of magic to this world? It's all just soul-dead molecules bouncing against each other randomly” . That question lingered with me long after I first read it. I read your life at a moment and phase of life when I could not make sense of why certain things were happening the way they were. I could hardly comprehend and accept my own life, and that sentence hit home, hard for me to reflect on what the true meaning of life is.
“You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how you tell sad stories, and we made the funny choice.” That line feels like a warm hug by someone when you’re feeling low. It’s often very easy to let grief and worry consume us, but you taught me the power of humor as an act of rebellion, a way of reclaiming hope. When life gives us lemons, we must make lemonades and not blame life for it.
I’ve admired you ever since the moment you helped Isaac get his revenge on his ex-girlfriend. You cannot even imagine how empowered that one action of yours made me feel. And you made me realize that we can always take steps to regain control of our life and its never too late to disprove haters and do what we love.
Despite your diagnosis, you chose to accompany Hazel to meet Van Houten, knowing full well the physical and emotional cost. You showed me that love is not about grand gestures or perfect outcomes—it’s about being there when it matters most. Even in your pain, you gave Hazel the gift of your presence, proving that love, at its core, is selfless and unwavering.
Your life, though brief, is a I return to every single time I am adrift in the sea of life with its problems. I seek refuge in your timeless wisdom for the solace it provides to my heart. And let me honest, I cried when you left us all bro. I can only have the deepest pity for Hazel might have gone through after loosing someone as dear and lovely as you.
You are remembered, Augustus. Not just for your quips or jokes, but for your indomitable spirit and your refusal to let life’s hardships define you. Thank you for showing me that even in loss, there is something worth cherishing.
With profound admiration,
Aryan Kavan Gowda
One reason I will always hold Augustus Waters close to my heart is because my favorite actor, Sushant Singh Rajput, portrayed his character in the Hindi adaptation, Dil Bechara.
Sushant was one of the very few Bollywood actors I could truly relate to and admire. His simplicity, humility, and the remarkable duality of being an overachiever—excelling as both a student and an actor—made him stand apart in an industry known for its glitz and glamour.
It's tragically ironic that one of his final films carried a powerful message that "suicide is never the solution," in Chhichore yet he himself left us under circumstances the media labeled as suicide. To this day, I feel there’s more to his story than we’ve been told, and I can’t shake the sense of loss and injustice surrounding his untimely death.
But perhaps the best way to honor his legacy is not by dwelling on the tragedy but by celebrating the ideals he embodied: perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and kindness. Sushant reminded us, through both his work and his life, that chasing one’s dreams with passion and staying grounded are not mutually exclusive. Living by those principles keeps his spirit alive, much like Augustus Waters lives on in the lessons he taught us about love, courage, and embracing the fleeting beauty of life.
Both Augustus and Sushant are true embodiment that love for books and literature make your soul lovable to the rest of the world!
Let me know which character would you write a letter to if given a choice? And why do you love them the most?
This is my previous post on Augustus waters, go check it out!
Timeless Wisdom of Augustus Waters:
There's literally no one in the world I’d rather give the longest hug than you, bro!
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Such a a heartfelt and thoughtful read ✨❤️
Honestly Augustus Waters is one those underrated characters that you'll honestly just fall in love with their personality. Thank you for writing this 😊, it's amazing