The day began with aches I could not hide
a stomach unsettled, a trace of red in my breath.
I spoke of it, yet silence and distance greeted me.
Boundaries were drawn, doors closed,
and I found myself leaving early,
carrying both heaviness and resolve.

The sky held its usual rush.
Bus 29 waited for me
a brief kindness from a driver’s pause.
I whispered thanks,
watched uniforms pass,
and learned again how eyes can turn away.

A bump, a sorry,
a bicycle bell, a quick dodge,
a stranger’s thank you
these fleeting exchanges stitched the path to work.
The traffic jam slowed the road,
yet still I held the rail,
still I moved forward.

And though words at home still echo sharp,
I keep one gratitude close:
that I ate, that I stepped out,
that I reached the bus despite the storm inside.

Even in rough mornings,
I remind myself
moving forward is also a kind of healing. 🌸