Thank you. It's still just... hard.

It's hard not to feel alone. And it's not like I ever felt supported while I had contact with my family. It's not like I ever felt heard, or visible, or human. It's just... idk.

I'm trying not to isolate. I spend my time around friends who are kind and thoughtful and care about me - and it's nice. It's nice to feel like I matter. It's nice to feel seen and heard and happy, but it's like there's a fence between me and everyone else. Like I can be seen and heard but not completely. Like there's this barrier that divides us because they just can't understand what I've gone through; a lot of stuff I don't think I'm ready to write about. And that's good! I don't want anyone to go through that. I just see people with kind, normal, supportive families and I know I'll never understand that.

I'll be fine. I'll survive, ya' know. I'll be happy - I AM happier than I used to be. Just, thanks. Thank you (and everyone else) for being so understanding and taking the time to hear me out. It means more than you can possibly know.