Hug.
Today, I saw myself. My younger self. She was hiding under a small cave -- or a table that looked like cave. It was a perfect fit for her, as if it was made for her to hide-- or she made it herself to hide. My 23 year old self smiled at her and coaxed her out. And I gave her the warmest, longest, most heartfelt hug. One she didn't get in her 5 years of life. One I've never get in my entire life. I told her, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you. We don't need anyone else. And I'm sorry, I fucked up so many times it hurt both of us." She returned the hug, with the same warmth, the same length and the same heart. She said, "I don't need protecting. Neither do you. Go, explore the world with your heart. You never know where you'll end up at if you don't take the first step. People are only people. You can rely on them as much as you can rely on yourself. Don't punish yourself. Take small steps forward, and don't come back. I...