It told me
the faster you run,
the more you miss.

That growing up
isn't something you notice-
until you can't go back.

It said
you will lose people
who loved you deepley,
and still feel like it was your fault.

And letting go?
It's not peace at first.
Sometimes it feels like
betrayal
with a ribbon it.

I asked,
how do I know I'm doing it right?

Time exhaled.
And said,
"Because it hurts less
than holding on did."

Hey, younger me,
wipe those tears—yes, I see them.
You think love will last just because it feels endless,
but listen, not everything meant forever stays.
And that’s okay.
Not all wilted petals mean the flower was unworthy,
some were just never meant to be held too tight.

And you, future me,
are you smiling? Have you learned to breathe?
Tell me, did we finally stop carrying the weight of every goodbye?
Did we find softness in the mirror,
or are we still chasing ghosts of what could’ve been?
I hope we learned to love without fear,
to rest without guilt,
to speak without swallowing the words.

And me, standing here,
torn between the aching past and the uncertain tomorrow—
What do I do with all this?
With the lessons, the heartbreak, the hope?
I guess I keep walking,
one step for the child who dreamed,
one for the future waiting ahead,
and one, just one,
for the me that exists right now.