I wanted to call you a complete asshole to anyone who would listen. I wanted to only see what was wrong with you. I wanted to humiliate you, scar your soul with the sharp end of the pain I felt while you were in my world.

For each of your hurtful acts, I just wanted to hurt you back.

And then I realized, my hurting you would only hurt me further. I realized it was not you that hurt me, but my tolerance of your actions that ultimately caused me disease. I realized I never had to accept your pain as my own. I realized the love I wanted from you has always lived within me – I chose you because I didn’t realize the choices I have.

Now I’ve choosen to respect my Self: my interests, my dreams, my health, my heart… I’m at peace and I thank you for showing me the way back to me.