My skin gets thicker every time the world strikes me with a backhand blow.

My bones strengthen every time someone I love disappears without warning.

My heart beats more insistently at every attempt someone makes to tear it out.

My soul grows deeper with every ounce of pain that cycles through my being.

Every time the world tries to crush me to its core, I generate resilience. My mind becomes wiser. It takes a certain amount of pain to make a person better. For, in order to rise, you must first be knocked to the ground.