Not every birthday
needs loud celebrations,
crowded tables,
or candles surrounded by people.
Some birthdays are quiet.
Just you,
your thoughts,
and the person you fought hard to become.
And maybe that’s enough.
Because surviving the year
was already a celebration itself.
So tonight,
I’ll sit with my own heart,
heal a little more,
smile a little softer,
and thank myself
for not giving up.