Used To

I used to think that I had to bear the weight of the world on my shoulders

because doing otherwise would mean the world would stop.

I used to think that I had to be strong for everyone around me

because if not me, who?

I used to think that I couldn’t cry

because crying was weak and in a hard world like this, weakness was an unacceptable.

But then,

I found my voice,  to say no

where there used to be coerced silence.

I found peace

where there used to be conflict.

I found confidence,

where the used hesitation.

So now everything that used to hold me back, is no more.