Don't Run Away. Poem by Nafisah Daniella Ozohu Suleiman

Don't run away from letting people know you care.
Tenderness is not weakness,
even when it feels like standing without armour.

Don't run away just because you're not used to being someone's darling.
Softness can feel unfamiliar to a heart that learned survival before it learned affection.

Stay.
Let yourself be seen.
Let your kindness speak
even if your voice trembles.
Let connection find you
even if you're still learning
how to hold it.

Don't run away.
Sometimes the courage you need
is simply to remain
where love is trying
to reach you.