I saw someone from a life I barely touch anymore.

A familiar face from 7 years ago,

standing in the same kind of moment I once stood in,

talking with the same softness I remembered.

⸻

He was gentle with me back then.

He was gentle with them today.

And something about that felt like time looping,

like life was replaying a small scene

just to show me how far I have walked since.

⸻

For a second, the past sat beside the present.

Not to pull me backwards,

but to remind me that I survived every version of myself

that brought me to this one.

There were two versions of myself

standing in the same room,

recognizing each other.

My younger self,

wide eyed, uncertain

always carrying more fear than he admitted.

And the me I am now,

Calm, sharper,

moving through life with a steadiness he never knew.

The best part was,

neither of them felt out of place.

⸻

I looked at that moment

and I felt an ease I never had at that age,

a steadiness I spent years trying to grow into.

It made me feel certain in a quiet way,

certain about my life,

certain about the person and love waiting for me now,

certain that I am meant to be exactly where I am.

⸻

Seeing him again did not pull me back.

It pushed me forward.

It showed me that the past can return without hurting,

that it can simply nod at you

as if to say, look how far you have come.

I walked away knowing something I had not fully realized

until today.

It felt like the universe saying,

here you are,

finally living the life that fits you.

⸻

And for once,

I believed it.