Ever felt like you were drowning in your own sorrow trying to protect someone you can't reach? This post explores the heart-wrenching reality of wanting to shield someone you can't, and the difficult decision to choose yourself. Leading with questions like:
What if the person you want to protect is the person you can't protect? Protect them, or protect yourself?
It's a strange kind of love, isn't it? The kind that makes you want to build a fortress around someone, shield them from every storm, every heartache. But what happens when that person is the one you can't protect? When the miles stretch out like an uncrossable chasm, or when your feelings are met with a gentle, but firm, "I see you as a friend." Or worse, when their heart belongs to someone else, and you're left watching from the sidelines, a silent observer to their happiness.
It's a painful reality, this feeling of powerlessness. You want to be their rock, their shoulder to cry on, their haven from the world. But you're stuck on the sidelines, watching helplessly as they navigate life's challenges. It's like a silent scream, a longing that can't be voiced. You try to be there for them, offer support, send virtual hugs across the miles, but it's never enough. It's like trying to quench a thirst with a single drop of water.
And then, there's the quiet realization: you're hurting yourself. Your own peace, your own well-being, is slowly slipping away, sacrificed at the altar of unrequited love. You're holding onto a hope that's fading, a dream that's turning into a nightmare. The weight of their happiness, or lack thereof, is crushing you, and you're starting to understand that you can't keep carrying this burden.
It's a difficult decision, this choice to prioritize your own peace. It feels selfish, like you're abandoning someone who needs you. But the truth is, you can't truly help someone if you're drowning in your own sorrow. You can't be a beacon of light if your own flame is flickering.
So, you make the choice. You choose yourself. It's not a betrayal, not a rejection. It's an act of self-preservation, a recognition that your own happiness matters. It's a step towards healing, a journey back to your own center.
It doesn't mean you stop caring, it doesn't mean you stop wanting the best for them. It just means you're learning to let go, to accept that you can't control their path, their choices, their happiness. You're learning to find peace in the knowledge that you've done all you can, that you've given your heart, your soul, and now it's time to reclaim your own.
It's a painful process, this letting go, this choosing yourself. But it's a necessary one. Because in the end, true love isn't about sacrificing yourself for someone else. It's about finding a balance, a harmony between your own needs and the needs of those you love. It's about building a life where you can thrive, where you can be happy, where you can finally, truly, protect your own peace.
