There are some things, some people, experiences and events that we will never be able to move on from. That we shouldn’t have to move on from. Things that broke our hearts or made them soar. Things that stressed us out or brought us peace. People who tore us down or built us up. People who betrayed us or people who were loyal, through it all.

These are the things that made us who we are. The things that helped us grow. The things that helped us learn. These are the things that made us strong and resilient. The things that made us graceful and joyful.

The times we felt weak and helpless were the times we found our strength. The times we were shaking with fear were the times we established our bravery. If we tried to put these trials behind us, if we tried to move on, to forget? We might still feel weak and helpless, still shaking with fear.

If we forget about the people we used to love, the ones who made us smile, feel special, beautiful, loved…just because they broke our hearts, we would also forget that we are lovable, that love exists. We would forget what we do and don’t deserve. What we do and don’t want. We would not know we had it within ourselves to rebuild our lives from the ground up. That we have it within ourselves to pick up all the broken pieces of our shattered lives and hearts and create a brand new mosaic of all our victories.

This is why I don’t forget. This is why I gave up trying to move on from my past, from my pain. Because THAT is what made me who I am today.