I look in the mirror and see someone softer—
Not weaker,
But worn in a way love tends to leave behind.
There was a time I loved blindly,
Loudly,
Without asking if the ground could hold me.
I called it strength,
But it was fear
Wearing confidence like perfume.
Now, I measure my footsteps.
I pause before giving too much.
I speak, not to be heard—
But to be honest.
You wouldn’t recognize the way I love now.
Not because it’s gone,
But because it’s grown quiet,
Rooted deeper,
No longer searching for permission to bloom.
I am still learning.
Still unlearning.
Still loving.
But I am not the same.
And maybe—
That’s what healing really is.
Apr 20, 2025
Apr 20, 2025 at 9:06 PM UTC
I look in the mirror and see someone softer—
Not weaker,
But worn in a way love tends to leave behind.
There was a time I loved blindly,
Loudly,
Without asking if the ground could hold me.
I called it strength,
But it was fear
Wearing confidence like perfume.
Now, I measure my footsteps.
I pause before giving too much.
I speak, not to be heard—
But to be honest.
You wouldn’t recognize the way I love now.
Not because it’s gone,
But because it’s grown quiet,
Rooted deeper,
No longer searching for permission to bloom.
I am still learning.
Still unlearning.
Still loving.
But I am not the same.
And maybe—
That’s what healing really is.
We don’t always notice when we begin to change. But somewhere between heartbreak and healing, I started finding pieces of myself I never knew I’d lost.
— M. Adelyn
