This year has been heavy in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve had t

This year has been heavy in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve had to learn to leave people where they choose to stay, even when I wanted to pull them closer.
It’s a quiet kind of pain, realizing that some people won’t meet you halfway, no matter how much you care. I struggled with it—wondering if I wasn’t enough or if I did something wrong. But after a while, I stopped fighting for people who wouldn’t fight for me. It wasn’t easy, and the ache doesn’t go away overnight, but I’ve started to understand that holding on too tightly only leaves my hands bruised.
I’ve also learned that not everything needs my reaction, though that’s a lesson I’m still trying to master. There were moments when I wanted to lash out, defend myself, or explain my side just to feel heard. But I realized that reacting doesn’t always bring peace—it only drags out the hurt. I’m learning to sit with the discomfort, let the emotions pass, and choose silence when words would only make it worse.
It’s not a perfect process, —some days, the pain feels fresh, and healing feels slow. But little by little, I’m finding strength in letting go—of people, of expectations, and of the need to fix everything.