I graduated college after a severe traumatic brain injury.

Things We Forget

By Gentle Witch

Graduated college with a double major

Former federal government employee

  • Coping end-game

    Not finished—just further along the path I have chosen for myself. I will finally stop trying to heal by erasing pain, and I will have learned to live beside it.

  • Pace

    My life will move at slower pace. The world will still spin fast, but I will have learned not to rush.

  • Recognition

    Three years from now, I’ll look in the mirror and see someone I recognize again. The real me—the one who got buried under expectations, comparisons, and noise.

  • Calm

    Hopefully, I won’t be chasing validation anymore. My bravery will look like consistency. Like saying “no.” Like staying calm when everything around me demands urgency. What will your life be…

  • Choice

    In three years, I will have stopped replaying old conversations in my mind over and over again as I fall asleep. I will have made peace with the fact that…

  • Peace

    Not fireworks, not milestones. Just peace—the kind that sits quietly within.

  • Ritual

    Slower mornings. My sugar-free energy drinks won’t just wake me—it will center me. I’ll read something beautiful before touching my phone. I think that small ritual will save me from…

  • Open Hands

    Three years from now, I think life will be gentler. Not because the world changes, but because I will. I will meet every challenge with open hands.

  • Future

    No grand ending, no perfect plan. Just peace in the present, pride in the progress, and excitement for what’s next.

  • Growth

    I’ll be content, but never complacent. Growth isn’t about chasing more—it’s about becoming more.