I used to think that giving was love.
That showing up for everyone,
Even when I was barely standing,
Was a badge of honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first, it felt good.
They smiled.
They called me reliable, dependable, selfless.
And yes, I believed them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as time went on,
I started noticing things,
Subtle at first, but then loud enough to hurt.
Like how my calls were ignored,
But I always answered theirs.
Or how my heart was an open book,
But they barely gave me a page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, I kept giving. But gradually, You see, the world often tells givers, So I gave more. Eventually, I broke. And that\u2019s when it hit me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wasn\u2019t being kind. Because a giver without boundaries So, little by little, I changed. Now? It\u2019s not that I\u2019ve become colder, Because I\u2019ve realized\u2026 Now, I check my energy like a bank balance. So if you\u2019ve been the giver too, Please hear this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are not wrong for needing rest. Because real love, real friendship, real connection, Always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No More Pouring from an Empty Cup BY WALKING SHADOW POETRY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/p\/1BM2TuDsLJ<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because I thought that\u2019s what good people do.<\/em>
Because I thought eventually, they\u2019ll give back.<\/em>
Because I thought maybe I don\u2019t need as much as they do.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
My energy was drained.
My joy became quiet.
And the version of me that used to laugh out loud
Was being replaced, slowly but surely, by silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Don\u2019t stop being kind. Keep giving. Keep loving.”
But they forget to say,
“Just don\u2019t forget yourself in the process.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even when I was tired.
Even when I had nothing left.
Even when my kindness was mistaken for weakness,
And my boundaries were seen as threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not in one dramatic fall,
But in small moments I didn\u2019t talk about.
Like when I cried in the shower
So no one would hear me.
Or when I smiled in public
But fell apart at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was being consumed.
Used.
Emptied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is like a candle burning at both ends,
It glows, yes.
But it dies faster too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first, it felt wrong.
Saying \u201cno\u201d made me anxious.
Putting myself first felt selfish.
But over time, it started feeling right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I still give,
But not at the cost of my peace.
I still love,
But not at the expense of my worth.
I still care deeply,
But not so deeply that I forget who I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s that I\u2019ve learned how to protect my fire.
It\u2019s not that I\u2019ve stopped loving,
It\u2019s that I now love myself too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not everyone deserves full access.
Not every request needs a yes.
And not every relationship is meant to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If it\u2019s low, I don\u2019t overdraft myself for anyone.
Because being good to others
Shouldn\u2019t mean being bad to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The one who\u2019s always available,
Always showing up,
Always holding space for others,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You are not weak for asking to be seen.
And you are not selfish for putting yourself first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It flows both ways.
And you deserve that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n