There are souls who carry untold pain in their hearts, yet still manage to say, "I'm fine," with a smile. Every time they've tried to speak their truth, they've been met with judgement, dismissed with words like, "just get over it" or "move on." Each attempt to open up gets swallowed by silence, their vulnerability brushed aside as if it were an inconvenience. When they've broken down in front of others, instead of finding comfort, they've felt guilt creep in, forced to soothe the discomfort of those around them. So now, they tuck their feelings behind laughter, convincing themselves it's not worth the fight. They've learnt to tend to others' needs, even if it comes at the cost of their own well-being. They don't ask for space, don't speak up for what they need. They've learned to shrink, believing that love and attention are for others, never for them. But I wish they knew this isn't true. I wish they could see their worth, that they deserve to be held, to be heard, to take up space, and to be unapologetically themselves.