Squirtle Squad Leader

People need to understand that once you’ve gone through your darkest times alone, something inside you changes. You stop expecting people to show up, stop chasing connections and stop worrying so much about who chooses to stay or leave. When you’ve had to pick yourself up, wipe your own tears, figure things out without support and find the strength to keep going when nobody noticed you were struggling, you develop a different kind of independence. It’s not that you stop caring about people. You just stop feeling the need to hold on to anyone at the expense of your own peace. Once you’ve learned how to survive without people, you no longer fear losing them. You appreciate those who stay, but you no longer beg anyone to.