It’s interesting how the people I feel most connected to — my tutor and my manager at Barnardo’s — seem to carry the same kind of pain I do. Though I don’t know their full stories, there’s something about the way they show up, something in their eyes, that tells me they’ve walked a hard road too.

And strangely, it’s that pain — not a shared hobby or background or belief — that makes me feel safe with them.

With my manager, I feel an unwavering safety. Like she sees me, and is doing everything in her power to make sure I feel heard. Maybe because she wasn’t heard until someone finally did the same for her. She’s alchemized her pain into something beautiful — and I have so much respect for that. That’s something I’m learning to do too.

My tutor has triggered me at times, and maybe that’s part of the process. Whether intentional or not, she’s helped reveal the places where I still hurt. And though it hasn’t always been easy, I see her — her strength, her vulnerability, her softness. She’s a beautiful person, and I respect her deeply for how she holds space, even when it’s hard.

I don’t know if they know it, but I love them. Not in a romantic way — in a way that’s hard to define. Maybe it’s closer to reverence. A deep, quiet kind of love. The kind that doesn’t demand anything. The kind that says, “Even if we never speak again, I’m grateful I knew you.”

Coming from the kind of family I have, these moments of being loved — or allowed into someone else’s love — feel like water to a soul that’s been dry for too long. And I want to be that for others too. Not perfectly. Not always. But to shine a light where I can.

Funny how the logo for Embracing Authenticity is a tree. Because that’s what this all feels like. Rooting into something solid. Nourishing myself with what I never had. And slowly, finally, growing.

🌀 Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you ever felt deeply seen by someone who didn’t have to care — but chose to?
  2. What kind of impact did that connection have on how you see yourself?
  3. In what ways are you beginning to offer that same kind of love or safety to others?