The one habit I let slip away was my voice not just speaking, but truly being heard and understood, not mistaken for just being “loud.” I miss that. Sometimes, as a wife and mother, you’re expected to do everything for everyone. And when you finally speak up, your words aren’t taken seriously. People say things like, “You make it look easy,” or, “You’re strong, you can handle anything.” But the truth is, I don’t want to always be seen as strong. I’d rather be seen as fragile because when something is labeled fragile, it’s handled with care. So now I ask myself: How do I reclaim the part of me I allowed to be ignored?