The Day I Stopped Begging

The Day I Stopped Begging

The day I stopped begging,

The air felt different.

Lighter, though nothing had changed,

Except my decision.

I stopped asking to be chosen,

Stopped explaining my worth.

Stopped writing long messages

To someone who replied with silence.

I realised love should not feel

Like a job interview.

Or a courtroom where I defend

Why I deserve to stay.

That day I stood up inside myself,

Even if no one noticed.

Even if the world carried on

As though nothing had shifted.

But something had.

My spine straightened.

My voice steadied.

My heart unclenched.

If you have to beg for affection,

It is not affection.

If you have to shrink for comfort,

It is not safety.

The day I stopped begging,

I stopped losing pieces of me.

And anyone who wants me now,

Will meet me at my height.