Lavender Pen

I stayed afloatbecause of you—your voice, your arms,your quiet strength. I held on,thinking you were the anchor,unshaken by the wavesthat kept pulling me under. But what I failed to see—was the way your hands trembledwhile keeping mine steady,the way your chest rose heavyfrom the battles I never asked about. While I clung to you for …

I put my joy behind yours—not because mine didn’t matter,but because yours did. I dimmed my light at times,not to vanish,but to let you shinewhen you needed it most. I sat here in silence,so your voice could be heard. I held back tears,so you could freely smile. Some say,“𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒕,”but …

𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒍𝒊 𝒌𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒂 Hindi ko na kailangang pilitinang sarili kong ngumitituwing nababanggit ang pangalan mo. Ngayon, kusang ngumingiti ang puso ko—hindi dahil sa’yo, kundi dahil sa wakas,ako’y malaya na. Hindi ko na kailangang sabihingmasaya ako para sa’yo,dahil ang totoo,masaya na rin ako—para sa sarili ko. Oo, naalala pa rin kita,pero hindi na ako bumabaliksa …

You gave—and I received. But somewhere in the giving,you forgot your own name. And I watched you vanishin the shadow of what you thoughtlove was supposed to be. So now,if this is what you call—freedom,then let me be the oneto set you free. Not because you chose me last—but because you finally chose you. And …

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔, 𝒕𝒐𝒐, 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈… Maybe it’s okay not to find joy in the midst of pain.Maybe it’s okay to feel shattered—to not rush healing,and to admit that sometimes—sadness consumes us. It doesn’t mean you’re weak.It just means—you’re being honest. And sometimes, the most human thing we can dois to sit with the ache—without forcing the …

I used to believe that silencewas my greatest offering—but, I know better now. When your eyes were filled with tears,I wiped them away—But I never asked why they fell. When your thoughts spiraled downhill,I kissed your worries away—but I lost my own voice trying to calm yours. When your knees trembled,I held you for long—But …

𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚…𝑰 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓. I used to return to placesthat closed their doors on me,just so I could feel remembered. I used to plead for a spacein someone else’s lives—to the pointthat I made myself an intruder. I used to dim my lightso others could shine,even if it meant—I am losing myself …

When I was aching, you said you ached more.But pain shouldn’t be a competition. You speak of the weight of your decision,days after walking away—but you never saw the weightI carried the moment you let go. You say it’s for the future—for both of us,but what future survives when one gives up? If you’re asking …

I left something in your book—a letter. I watched from a distance,as your eyes landed on the envelope.You looked around, confused. You saw the print—“𝑮𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖…”Your breath hitched,and mine caught right along with it. I wrote every word—like a whisper I was too afraid to say.So if your heart races,know that mine did too… …