“I forgive you”
I heard her say as I watched her open another box and fill it with all the evidence of the person she used to be.
With tears in my eyes I responded with a simple “I’m sorry” and I watched her close the box she just filled and grab another empty one.

I watched her change the last few months, where she was once timid and shy she became outspoken and strong willed. In moments she would back herself in a corner and cower in fear she stepped forward with fight in her eyes. She began fighting for herself. She started to see her worth and I knew she was outgrowing me so I stepped aside. My time with her was coming to end and I allowed it, because I care enough about her that I wanted to see her grow. I wanted to see her find her self worth and beauty all on her own. I knew I was just a stepping stone for her for be able to do that.

We reminisced about the lifetimes before and all the roles she played trying to find her place in the world. Some of them were wonderful memories filled with laughter and late nights and exciting spontaneous adventures. Some of them were sad though, as she remembered all the times her light was dulled and she never felt like she was ever going to be enough. In the latter moments, I reminded her she’s not that person anymore and on this next adventure she’s going to learn so much more about herself.

She started feeling sorry for herself as she thought about the friends that came and went, and the dreams she had that she never was able to make happen. Man she really had some wild big dreams, and they were beautiful to listen to her talk about and watch the spark in her eyes shimmer. I knew some of those dreams, if not all of them, were still very real for her. I reminded her that she’s very capable of making her dream life, that she was just starting a new path of self discovery which could very well be the path she needed to be on all along. To my surprise she agreed.

As she looked back at me one more time she smiled, and we knew we’d never see each other again. With nothing but love and gratitude in our hearts for our time together, she walked away.

She was gone, and I felt an overwhelming and confusing mixture of peace and fear. She was me, and I am her.. and I can’t wait to makere her proud. All I went through when I was “her” wasn’t for nothing. I forgive her.