did i dodge a bullet? no. i caught every one of them, convinced myself the pain was love, and stayed long after i should have left. i kept giving chances, hoping things would change, hoping the person i loved would choose me the way i chose them. i ignored the hurt, made excuses for the things that broke me, and held on even when it was costing me my peace. so no, i will never judge you for staying. sometimes leaving isn't the hardest part. the hardest part is accepting that the love you kept fighting for was the very thing that was hurting you.