I choose to remember you

I choose to remember you
Not by how you hurt me
But by how you taught me to heal

Not by how you left me
But by how you taught me to never abandon myself

Not by how you broke me
But by how you taught me to rebuild myself

Not by how you dimmed my light
But by how you helped me to shine

Not by how you kept me trapped in a place of comfort
But by how you empowered me to leave my comfort zone

Not by how you left me feeling weak
But by how you taught me what it means to be strong

Not by how you tried to control me
But by how you taught me to be free

Not by who you told me who I was
But by how you taught me to define myself

And above all
I choose to remember you
Not by how you were unable to love me
But by how you taught me
To love myself.

Words by Tahlia Hunter
Artwork by Thomas Dodd, "The Dream"