The First of Me

I want to return —
to become the better me.

These chains inside my soul
have held me down too long,
but I’m learning how to loosen them.

Something inside me
used to frighten me.

Now I look closer —
there’s a spark,
a start.

Can someone help me become whole?

I know I’m not the only one.
So many walk with silent cracks,
smiling through the ache.

We all feel alone sometimes —
but maybe we’re not.

I want to reach them,
just like I’m trying to reach me.

We are not broken.
We are becoming.

I believe I can heal.
I believe others can too.

We’ve been trapped in thoughts,
in noise, in work,
in fear.

But we are still here.
Still human. Still trying.

You can see it in our faces —
a quiet strength,
a shared hope.

I am not perfect.
Neither are they.

But maybe we don’t need to be.
Maybe healing begins
with simply being
real.