Once upon a time, I was a caregiver. It was something I never asked for; no one rarely does.

I thought it was something I could endure, but time wore me down with worry and grief, and I became invisible, transforming into a person with no needs or wants or desires. I learned to carry burdens not meant for a single person. People would complement me on my strength, without ever understanding the toll it took on me.

But caregivers know. They know the loss of themselves. And more importantly, they understand how necessary it is to find beauty in life once the chapter has ended.