Forgiving the Ghosts

I’ve carried you— the ones who broke me, the ones who left me raw and trembling, thinking your absence was my fault. I’ve held onto the hurt, thinking if I didn’t let it go, I could protect myself from you. But forgiveness is not for you. It’s for the girl who still believes in love, for the woman who deserves peace, for the heart that deserves to heal. I forgive you, not because you earned it, but because I am tired of carrying your ghosts. I release you— not for you, but for me. And when I walk away, it’s not weakness, it’s strength, it’s freedom. I let you go. I let myself breathe.