you kept letting people back in until you had nothing left. you forgive too easily— you don't even know why— and it's cost you. apologies mean nothing when the same patterns repeat. if someone's manipulative, that’s a hard stop for you. you tried to be patient, you tried to believe in people, but now you’re left with a broken friendship and the scars it left behind. you're learning to protect yourself instead of forgiving for the sake of peace.
and yet, even now, you catch yourself forgiving. you know you shouldn't. you know it only drags you back into the same pain. but something in you still wants to give people another chance, like maybe this time will be different. It never is. you're torn between the part of you that craves peace and the part that knows forgiveness without change is just self-destruction.
maybe this time, should i choose myself?