The Child I Never Got to be

I was just a little child,
With little dreams and little hands,
Wanting to run barefoot,
Laugh without fear,
And believe the world was kind.

I wanted to cry over tiny things,
Throw innocent tantrums,
And know that no matter what happened,
Someone would hold me close and whisper,
"It's okay... I'm here."

I wanted to hear,
"We're proud of you."
Not because I became successful,
But simply because I was trying my best.

But life had different plans.

Before I could become a child,
Life asked me to become an adult.

While others worried about homework,
I worried about responsibilities.
While others made memories,
I learned to make sacrifices.
While others planned tomorrow,
I wondered how to survive today.

My childhood quietly slipped away,
Without a goodbye.

My teenage years became lessons,
Not adventures.

My innocence became maturity,
Long before its time.

So I grew up...

Not because I wanted to,
But because there was no other choice.

I learned to smile through pain,
To hide tears behind tired eyes,
To celebrate alone,
To heal my own wounds,
And to clap for myself
When no one else did.

I became the one everyone relied on,
Yet I secretly wished
I had someone to rely on too.

I kept giving strength to others,
While silently searching
For someone to tell me,
"You can rest now... I'll take care of everything."

Brick by brick,
I built my life,
With faith in one hand
And pain in the other.

Every scar became a lesson.
Every setback became a teacher.
Every tear became silent proof
That I never gave up.

People call me strong.

They don't see the child inside me,
Still waiting for a hug,
Still longing for unconditional love,
Still hoping someone will notice
The battles I never speak about.

Sometimes I wonder...

What would life have been like
If I had been allowed
To stay a child
Just a little longer?

Maybe.

But despite everything,
I refuse to let pain change my heart.

I still choose kindness.
I still choose compassion.
I still choose hope.

Because deep inside,
That little child still believes
That one day,
There will be peace after the storms,
Love without conditions,
A home that feels safe,
And a life where I no longer have to be strong every single day.

Strength was never my choice.

It was the role life gave me.

But hope...

Hope is the promise I make
To the little child within me—

That one day,
You won't just survive...

You'll finally live!