{"id":3274,"date":"2025-05-01T10:24:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T10:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/?p=3274"},"modified":"2025-05-01T10:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T10:24:57","slug":"i-am-not-ready-to-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-am-not-ready-to-love\/","title":{"rendered":"I AM NOT READY TO LOVE."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>So&#8230;<br>I\u2019ve been thinking.<br>And honestly,<br>I need to tell you something,<br>even if it\u2019s a little hard to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lately,<br>everything feels like too much.<br>Not just us,<br>but life, in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see,<br>when we talk a lot,<br>I start to feel overwhelmed.<br>At first, I\u2019m all in.<br>But after a while,<br>my mind fills up.<br>And then,<br>the words slip right through me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not because I\u2019m not listening.<br>Actually,<br>I\u2019m trying really hard to.<br>But sometimes,<br>my head can\u2019t keep up with my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why,<br>I think we should ease up on the calls.<br>Instead,<br>let\u2019s text more.<br>That way,<br>I can take my time.<br>I can think.<br>I can respond with a clear mind,<br>rather than just nodding on the phone,<br>while my brain checks out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be clear,<br>it\u2019s not that I don\u2019t enjoy hearing your voice,<br>I do.<br>However,<br>too much at once<br>feels like I\u2019m carrying more than I can hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides,<br>there\u2019s something else I need to be honest about.<br>And this part\u2019s not easy to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more we talk,<br>the closer I feel.<br>And truthfully,<br>I\u2019m scared I might fall for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But right now,<br>I\u2019m not ready for that.<br>Not because of you,<br>but because of where I\u2019m at with myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the moment,<br>I\u2019m still learning how to carry my own feelings<br>before I carry someone else\u2019s.<br>So for now,<br>I need to go slow.<br>I need to protect my peace,<br>and maybe yours too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even so,<br>this doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m walking away.<br>On the contrary,<br>I value this.<br>I care about you.<br>That\u2019s exactly why<br>I want to be honest with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving too fast<br>might ruin something that could\u2019ve been beautiful<br>if we just gave it time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore,<br>I hope we can still stay connected,<br>just not in a way that costs us our calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s keep it simple.<br>Let\u2019s keep it kind.<br>Let\u2019s keep it real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because in the end,<br>honesty is better than pretending.<br>And space,<br>when given with care,<br>can actually bring people closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah\u2026<br>I\u2019m still here.<br>Just at a different pace.<br>And hopefully,<br>that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/p\/1C4ZQZSKYs\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/p\/1C4ZQZSKYs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"THE MISTAKES I MADE by walking shadow poetry\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/32LcV1dDXKs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/shes-the-strength-you-never-knew-you-needed\/\">She\u2019s the Light That Never Fades by walking shadow<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So&#8230;I\u2019ve been thinking.And honestly,I need to tell you something,even if it\u2019s a little hard to say. Lately,everything feels like too much.Not just us,but life, in general. You see,when we talk a lot,I start to feel overwhelmed.At first, I\u2019m all in.But after a while,my mind fills up.And then,the words slip right through me. It\u2019s not because [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121,97,25,98],"tags":[49,34,67,61,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-3274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-poetess","tag-poetry","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenwords","tag-stories","tag-story","tag-walkingshadowpoetry","tag-walkingshadowpoetrykenya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/3587401b1595867ea1d0b02a2b289d63.jpg?fit=236%2C419&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2687,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/trying-to-get-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":0},"title":"Trying to Get By walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Every morning, I wake up and try,To make my money last and get by,But no matter how hard I work,It feels like I\u2019m stuck in a tough spot. Bills keep piling up so high,I work more hours, but it\u2019s never enough,The paycheck is too small,And the debts just keep growing.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"person carrying container on the head on road","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1108822.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1108822.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1108822.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1108822.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3116,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/its-strange-really-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":1},"title":"It\u2019s strange, really by Walking Shadow Poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"March 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m scared of being alone,Not the kind where you sit quietly for a while,But the kind that feels like a heavy shadow,Creeping in when no one\u2019s around. It\u2019s strange, really.How silence can feel louder than a crowd,How an empty room can weigh more than a thousand voices. I don\u2019t like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/b8a993c6ff7165b153294da09686f3b0.jpg?fit=236%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2880,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/spoken-word-i-have-outgrown-many-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":2},"title":"Spoken Word: &#8220;I Have Outgrown Many Things&#8221;","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019ve outgrown many things,And it\u2019s not that I\u2019m better than anyone else,It\u2019s just that I\u2019ve learned to let go of what no longer feels like home. I\u2019ve outgrown relatives who are quick to point fingers,Quick to criticize,But somehow, they never show up when I need a hand.You know those people\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;poem&quot;","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"silhouette of man standing beside ocean during sunset","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-103889.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-103889.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-103889.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-103889.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-103889.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2679,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-quiet-thought-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":3},"title":"The Quiet Thought by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s late, and the silence is loud,I\u2019m here, lying still, but my mind, it\u2019s a crowd.I\u2019ve thought about it, more than I should,What if I just\u2026 stopped? Would that be good? I lost my parent, and with them, my light,Now I\u2019m alone, nothing feels right.The pain doesn\u2019t leave, it just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"grayscale photo of a person writing on notebook","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-5702412.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2656,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/left-to-pick-up-the-pieces-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":4},"title":"Left to pick up the pieces by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I gave my heart so freely,thinking love would be enough.I offered my time,my patience,my everything,hoping it would mean something. But then, as soon as I let myself fall,I saw their true colors,their true selves,and it wasn\u2019t what I wanted.They only wanted me for moments,not for forever.They were here to pass\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"food plate light holiday","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6555028.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6555028.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6555028.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-6555028.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2722,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-survived-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3274,"position":5},"title":"I Survived by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It happened in a moment,Something I couldn't stop.In that instant, my world broke,From the pain of that awful shock. I was left with pieces to pick,Alone, hurt, and lost.Carrying a weight so heavy,Feeling like everything was my fault. I didn\u2019t know who to tell,Or if anyone would care.Would they think\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;POETRY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"people holding posters in protest","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-11359319.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-11359319.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-11359319.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-11359319.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3274"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3276,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3274\/revisions\/3276"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}