Sometimes I look back and feel the shame creep in

 Sometimes I look back and feel the shame creep in.

The “I should have known better.”
The “Why did I stay so long?”
The “How could I have let that happen?”

But I remind myself…
I did the best I could with what I knew back then.

I didn’t have the wisdom I have now.
I didn’t have the strength I’ve built since.
I was surviving. I was trying. I was learning.

That version of me deserves compassion, not criticism.
She carried so much. She kept going when it would’ve been easier to give up.

So now, I forgive her. I thank her.
Because without her, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.

Healing means choosing love over shame
And meeting your past self with understanding, not judgment.

You’re allowed to grow. You’re allowed to change.
But don’t forget to love the one who got you here.