When Expectations Replace Understanding
People often decide who you should be in their life long before you ever get a say in it. They see you as the dependable one, the person who listens without saying much, who shows up without being asked, who carries more than they ever notice. They see you as the calm one, someone who stays composed even when life throws storms at you. They see you as the fixer, the problem-solver, the anchor, the one who absorbs chaos and returns peace. They see you as the strength, a role you never applied for, but somehow ended up owning. And for the longest time, you play along. Not out of obligation, but out of love. Out of habit. Out of wanting to be there for people. Out of wanting to make someone’s world a little lighter. But then one day, you speak. You express what you want. You explain how you feel. You try to put words to the weight you’ve been carrying. And suddenly, things change. The same people who leaned on you now step back the moment you ask for understanding. The...