How A Soft Heart Becomes Kind

By

“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” – e.e cummings

I became kind in response to everyone who was so mean. And I knew I never wanted to be that type of person.

I learned to say no in every moment I allowed silence to speak for me.

I became quiet when I realized people say things just to hear themselves talk.

I learned to speak and say things only that mattered.

I became soft for every person who hurt me and tried to make me hard.

I learned resilience every time they told me I couldn’t because I wasn’t smart enough or good enough or talented enough to succeed.

I became smart when I realized knowledge is power and I never wanted to stop learning.

I learned to love deeply when they tried to teach me they can pick and choose when they love me.

I became strong for others when I had to be even though I was fighting battles people didn’t know of.

I learned to believe in love when I realized that’s the one thing that can save us all when you do get it right.

I became pretty when I realized they were ugly on the inside and it didn’t matter what they looked like even though they thought those things were important.

I learned to build others up because I knew what it felt like to be torn down.

I became a friend to all when I remembered what it felt like to sit alone at lunch.

I learned to choose words wisely when I learned their power and I saw the effect it had on me when people used words as weapons like daggers to destroy me.

I became someone whose touch was soft for every blow that wasn’t.

I learned to invest fully in relationships when I remembered how much blurry lines and confusion hurt me and I’d never want to do that to someone or lead them one.

I became compassionate when I looked at them and realized all of this might be projected onto me but I understand there’s something more here. Something that happened to them too.

I learned to speak up when they taught me I should be silent about the things that hurt me.

I became honest when I watched them as they lied. Simply to paint a picture of how they wanted others to see them.

I learned to run my fingers along sharp edges and not be horrified by the bad parts we all have.

I became good at keeping other people’s secrets because I knew what it was like to lie.

I learned that when they blamed me it wasn’t always my fault and I didn’t always have to be sorry.

I became a light for others when I remembered how much I hated sitting in the dark.

I learned that when they tried to change me it was really pieces of themselves they weren’t happy with.

I became forgiving because I didn’t want to continue harboring things from my past within my heart.

I learned to love myself following the example of those who took it among themselves to teach me what love actually meant.

I learned sometimes the baggage you carry isn’t all yours but other people’s that they gave you because you were strong enough to carry their burdens.

I learned to look forward instead of looking back because I knew there was nothing for me there.