at my lowest, i realized a lot. no one was going to save me or hold my hand every time life got hard, so i had to be there for myself. i learned to wipe my own tears, calm my own heart, and stand strong even when it felt impossible. i gave myself the love i kept waiting to get from others and understood that people don't always stay. some will leave no matter how much you love them, and some will only be there when life is easy. it hurts to care for people who forget you when you need them most, but through that pain, i learned to show up for myself and remind myself that i will always have me.