Dear Small Me (Remastered)

Dear small me, You was ten going on thirty-three Reading faces like books ’Cause safety wasn’t guaranteed You learned tone before math Learned silence before trust They called you “so mature” But that was code for “adjust” Don’t cry, don’t question Don’t ever talk back So you folded up your feelings Like a shirt in a backpack You weren’t dramatic You were scanning the room Trying to dodge every storm Before it went boom Dear small me I see you now You were just surviving But they called it grown somehow Dear small me You lost your glow Had to trade your innocence Just to keep control Other kids were loud Careless, messy, free You was calculating exits Like it’s strategy You learned how to comfort Before you were held Became the strong one Even when you fell Now I’m older, independent Yeah I handle my own But sometimes I still feel Like I grew up alone They say “you’re so strong” Like that’s something I chose Like I didn’t build this backbone Out of things that broke I didn’t get a childhood I got survival skills And yeah, they look impressive But they don’t feel real Sometimes I miss the softness The way I used to dream Before I measured every word Before I split at the seams Before I knew what tension meant Before I braced for sound Before I thought love always came With something breaking down Dear small me You didn’t fail You just learned too early How to carry the weight Dear small me You’re still in here Under all this armor Under all this “I don’t care” And I’m not mad we hardened I know why we did But I wish the world was kinder To that sensitive kid I wish someone had told you It wasn’t your job To keep the peace in every room Or carry every sob You deserved protection Not pressure to be brave You deserved to be a child Not constantly behave Dear small me I promise this I won’t erase you For the sake of being “fixed” You’re the reason I’m standing You’re the reason I fight But I’ll learn how to live now Not just survive the night And maybe I miss you But you made me this So I’ll hold your hand While I’m healing from it Dear small me… We’re still becoming.