{"id":3317,"date":"2025-06-16T13:37:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/?p=3317"},"modified":"2025-06-16T13:37:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:37:52","slug":"when-your-heart-is-a-service-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/when-your-heart-is-a-service-line\/","title":{"rendered":"When Your Heart Is a Service Line."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve always been that person,
The one who drops everything.
Whether it’s mid-meal, mid-prayer, or mid-plan,
I just show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No questions asked.
No delays.
Just a simple, \u201cWhere are you?\u201d and I\u2019m already halfway there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At times, I\u2019ve cancelled dreams for people.
Other times, I rescheduled peace.
Even more often, I paused my own healing.
Why? Because someone needed me,
and somehow, that always felt like enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when it\u2019s me\u2026
when my world is cracking,
and my hands are shaking from holding it all in,
they\u2019re busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They say,
\u201cGive me a minute.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m caught up.\u201d
\u201cI wish I could, but not right now.\u201d
And even then, I understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, I always understand.
That\u2019s the part that stings the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m the one they run to when things fall apart.
When the lights go off in their lives,
they find comfort in mine.
Because somehow, I always have room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when I need someone to just listen,
to pick up without thinking,
to sense that I\u2019m not okay,
no one seems to be available.
Not immediately.
Not until it\u2019s convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, it hurts.
Not because I expect a reward,
but because deep down,
I hoped to be someone\u2019s emergency too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, I\u2019m learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m learning that just because you show up for people
doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll do the same.
And while that realization breaks something soft inside me,
it also builds something stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because now, I know,
I must learn to show up for myself first.
From this point on, I must become my own 911.
Even if no one picks up,
I won\u2019t drop the call on me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, I\u2019ll hold on to hope.
Hope that one day,
someone will come,
not because they need what I offer,
but simply because it\u2019s me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that,
will be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking Shadow Poetry Kenya – YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(10) Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Every Student Deserves to Be Seen \u2013 Spoken Word<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve always been that person,The one who drops everything.Whether it’s mid-meal, mid-prayer, or mid-plan,I just show up. No questions asked.No delays.Just a simple, \u201cWhere are you?\u201d and I\u2019m already halfway there. At times, I\u2019ve cancelled dreams for people.Other times, I rescheduled peace.Even more often, I paused my own healing.Why? Because someone needed me,and somehow, that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3318,"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":[121,97,25,98,1],"tags":[35,49,34,67,50,61,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-3317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","category-uncategorized","tag-poems","tag-poetess","tag-poetry","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenword","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\/06\/IMG_9039-scaled.jpg?fit=1707%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2501,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/a-heartfelt-apology-poem\/","url_meta":{"origin":3317,"position":0},"title":"A Heartfelt Apology Poem.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"August 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Mom and Dad,I know I\u2019ve caused you pain,With my stubborn ways,And the times I\u2019ve acted in vain. I\u2019ve pushed against your wisdom,Ignored your guiding hand,Thought I knew it all,But now I understand. You\u2019ve given me so much,Love, care, and endless grace,But in my selfish moments,I didn\u2019t see the hurt\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"word sorry on white fabric","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-4439463.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\/08\/pexels-photo-4439463.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-4439463.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-4439463.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2714,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/i-am-strong-i-will-survive-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3317,"position":1},"title":"I Am Strong, I Will Survive by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I am strong. I am great.No matter what comes, I won\u2019t break.I\u2019ve been through storms, I\u2019ve seen the rain,But I know that sunshine comes after pain. There are days when I feel weak,When life knocks me down, and the future feels bleak.But even then, I know I\u2019ll rise,Because with every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a roaring lion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%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-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-4032590.jpeg?fit=1033%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":3317,"position":2},"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 "poem"","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":3229,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/strong-but-tired-the-unspoken-truth-of-being-the-firstborn\/","url_meta":{"origin":3317,"position":3},"title":"“Strong, But Tired: The Unspoken Truth of Being the Firstborn”","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I didn\u2019t choose this crown.Life handed it to me the moment I cried first.It wasn\u2019t golden,Rather, it was molded from responsibility\u2026 pressure\u2026 silence\u2026 and sacrifice.And yes, I wear it well but at what cost? You see, being the eldestFeels like signing a contract I never agreed to.No one explained the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","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\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-04-07-at-16.17.08_93688d00.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-04-07-at-16.17.08_93688d00.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-04-07-at-16.17.08_93688d00.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-04-07-at-16.17.08_93688d00.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2880,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/spoken-word-i-have-outgrown-many-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":3317,"position":4},"title":"Spoken Word: “I Have Outgrown Many Things”","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 "poem"","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":3317,"position":5},"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 "POETRY"","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":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317","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=3317"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3319,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317\/revisions\/3319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}