Don’t take my kindness as a sign for weakness,
I wear it like a shield, though it feels too thin.
People see my silence and take it as a sign,
A chance to take, not knowing I’m breaking within.
I take it personally, even if I don\'t know them personally
A quiet hurt that very few see ..
I worry about speaking up, afraid I’ll break the peace,
Fearing my words might hurt their pride
While they don’t care if mine cease.
“You look dead,” they say,
Like it\'s something I chose,
But I didn’t choose this face,
The weight of the struggling thoughts beneath it, I suppose.
I try, I try, to do my best,
But sometimes it feels like my efforts are lost,
Like no matter how much I give,
It’s never enough, no matter the cost.
That tiny feeling of self doubt,
It whispers and grows,
Killing my confidence,
Before I even know.
In this room with patients,
In this world full of care,
I know what I need to learn:
To draw the line, to stand and be fair.
Not let them take what’s mine,
Not let them take it all,
But learning to speak up,
Even when I feel small.
This journey’s not easy,
But it’s mine to walk through,
I’ll find the strength to hold the line
For me, and for what I’m due.
Being a healthcare worker, friend, daughter, sister, colleague, niece all at once can be challenging
But it’s only just the beginning
For all of the responsibilities
That I will be facing .