Forgiveness is not proof of healing—it’s a choice, and not one survivors owe to anyone. Trauma doesn’t disappear just because society is more comfortable when victims are quiet, forgiving, and palatable. Sometimes survivors are angry. Sometimes they don’t forgive. And that’s okay. Healing looks different for everyone. This piece is for the ones who are still carrying it, and still choosing themselves.

We love stories of survival—but only when they end in strength. Nobody wants to talk about the in-between. The days when you’re still grieving something you ‘should be over,’ still angry about things the world expects you to forgive. Survivor’s guilt is quiet, but it cuts deep. It’s the weight of being alive when others didn’t make it. It’s the pressure to inspire when you’re still hurting. Healing isn’t always beautiful. Sometimes it’s just breathing through the ache and trying again tomorrow.