The Hidden Journal

I didn’t realize how cold I’d gotten
until I started to thaw.

It wasn’t a sudden thing —
just small moments,
a softness sneaking back in.

───

The sound of laughter that didn’t feel forced.
The comfort of being seen and not shrinking.
A kindness that didn’t need to be earned.

───

This is where warmth begins —
in the gentle corners,
the quiet gestures,
the hands that don’t demand proof.

───

For so long, I thought safety meant silence.
Now I know it’s what lets me breathe out loud.

───

Not every story has a grand ending.
Some just end in peace.
And maybe that’s what I was looking for all along.

— Desiree