My leadership was doubted.
My kindness was taken for weakness.
My integrity was mistaken for inexperience.

All because I refused to do what I knew was wrong.

I would not fire a man for being robbed. A man who had broken no laws, no rules, who simply had misfortune fall upon him.

But my refusal became their reason.
And leadership chose to believe assumptions, whispers, and half-truths instead of the evidence of years of dedication.

A man who had been absent for six years returned, spent a week in town, and in only a few hours decided I was unfit to lead the operation I had built, nurtured, and carried forward.

They may have thought they hurt me.
But all they did was fulfill what was already written.

At the beginning of that year, I had whispered to myself: This will be the year I leave.
And God heard me.
They only moved the plan into motion.

Now I stand in a new space.
A position of greater power, responsibility, and voice.
I lead more people. I carry more weight.
And I do it without fear of their doubt.

Because I am twice the leader I was.
Twice the leader they will ever be.

And I will never apologize
for leading with integrity.

You think you’re not worthy of my love
because you have hurt me.
And that is true—
but I have also hurt you.

Still, you’ve chosen to change,
to become a better version of yourself—
not just for me,
but for you.

Yes, you still stumble,
but so do I.
That doesn’t erase
the beauty in you.

What you can’t see is this:
I forgave you.
And when I say you complete me,
it’s nothing less than truth—
because you do.

You think you are an obstacle in my life,
but you are the reason
I sleep soundly at night.
You think you add no value to my world,
but I can’t imagine a life
where my soul isn’t bound to yours.

You are my soulmate.
Despite what’s past,
you are my better half.

You complete me in every way.
For no one is fully alive
until they are joined
with their soulmate.

I heard a scream…

My heart raced.
Ears ringing,
eyes unfocused.

I heard a scream…

My mind in chaos,
unable to hold a thought.

Then you placed an arm around me—

my heartbeat slowed,
the noise faded,
I closed my eyes.

I heard a scream…

but this time
my mind was calm,
reality sharpened.

I heard a scream—

that’s how it feels,
the cycle of panic.

I felt inspired, so I wrote.
I wrote about love.
I wrote about pain.
I wrote about everything
That wandered into my brain.

I told myself I wasn’t any good.
I asked myself, why do this anyway?
Then I closed the page
And went on with my day.

I picked up a book,
Started reading again.
I felt inspired, so I wrote.
No thoughts, no plan—
But I did it anyway.

This time, I didn’t question myself.
I just said—
I do it because I can.
I do it because I want to.
Maybe I’m no good.
Maybe it won’t stay.
But if it makes me happy…

I’ll do it anyway.