Dear 22

I’m grateful for the joys you placed in my hands;

a new sense of purpose, a quieter kind of peace.

I’m grateful for the tears you brought too,

for they softened me, even as they shaped me.

You came with change; the kind that knocks softly,

then flips your world before you know what to hold.

A career path turned corner; I followed, afraid and hopeful.

And somehow, I found myself… still standing, still reaching.

You also brought a goodbye I didn’t expect;

a love I thought would last, but didn’t.

Still, I’m grateful for the warmth it gave,

and the strength I found in the leaving.

You taught me not everyone stays,

and that sometimes, that’s a gift too.

That growing apart is part of growing up,

and grace is often found in letting go.

I’m proud of who I’m becoming;

of the way I rise, of the way I choose myself now.

Of how I hold both softness and steel,

and still believe in new beginnings.

So thank you; for the mess, the magic,

the redirections, the reminders.

For giving me more than I knew I needed.

Dear 22,

You owe me nothing…