Hands Out, Heart Alone

I always believed that giving my hand could move the world. Each smile, each word, each small act—I thought they were stars lighting someone else’s night.

So I gave. And in giving, I hid my own wounds, my sleepless nights, my silent fatigue.

I learned that kindness does not always return. Sometimes, the only answer is silence.

Yet in that silence, I found a light no one could take: the strength to love myself, to protect myself, to walk alone with my heart as my guide.

My hands felt empty at times, but my heart kept beating. Full of warmth, of life, of resilience.

I learned that my stars must first shine for me, before I can give them to others.

And in the quiet, I discovered my greatest victory: I can reach for others… but I must first reach for myself.