The Missing Pieces Will Never Be Lost

You didn’t lose a part of yourself when you lost them. You filled that part they once occupied, and replaced it with self-love.

Know that you tried your best. Know that this wasn’t your fault. Know that no matter what happens in your life, no matter who comes and goes, you are not broken. You are not permanently damaged. You may feel like you’re shattered into a thousand pieces, but please trust the process. This process means trusting yourself in this difficult time, and trusting that you will feel whole again someday. Let time do the healing. Let it mend all your pain.

This feeling of being slowly destroyed by the deep-rooted pain within you, please know you didn’t deserve it. When you part ways with another, when the door shuts behind them for the last time and you know deep down there’s no saving, please know you will never lose the piece of your heart and soul they occupied.

You are still capable of giving kindness, being strong, and carrying on. You walked away from the flames, you may have been burned, but you’re still here. You weren’t consumed by the fire.

You’re going to recover. You’re going to get out of this alive. It’s clear you’re guarded, and it’s okay to have your windows boarded up in the storm until the sunlight floods through the cracks. Let the tornadoes of emotion rush through your mind, and the rains of sadness run through your soul.

It’s okay to protect your story, and it’s only yours to tell. Your story may be intertwined with another person’s story, but don’t let that take pieces away from your identity; no one owns that. Those pieces never left you after all. Instead, they add to your story. When you rebuild, your hope and your resilience will heal you from the inside out.