I used to think forgiveness was something you did for the other person, a kindness you extended. Now I see it's the only way to unpack yourself, to finally put down the suitcase you've been lugging around. I thought letting go meant forgetting, a clean break, but it's more like learning to live with the ghost, acknowledging its presence without letting it dictate the room. The scar is there, but it doesn't ache anymore. It's just part of the story now.