Remember Who Stayed

Some moments in life will break you wide open.

Not just crack you a little—but split you at the core. These moments shake everything: your sense of safety, beliefs about love and loyalty, and even your understanding of who you are. And in those raw, stripped-down places, where nothing feels certain and everything hurts, you start to see the truth more clearly. You begin to notice who’s there.

Who stayed?

Life doesn’t always come gently. It tests you. It throws storms your way with no warning and no mercy. One moment, you’re trying to hold it all together, and the next, you’re unraveling—caught in a web of thoughts you can’t quiet, pain you can’t name, and questions you don’t have the strength to answer. There are nights you cry yourself to sleep, and mornings you wake up unsure if you’ll make it through the day.

And in those moments, you learn.

You learn who showed up.

Who stood beside you when everything fell apart?

Who didn’t just offer words but presence—real, steady, grounding presence. The ones who followed you even when you were going the wrong way. The ones who didn’t flinch at your mess, your silence, or your darkness. The ones who never made you feel like a burden.

Hold onto them.

There are people like that—rare, quiet gems who carry their struggles but still make room for yours. They don’t try to fix you. They don’t shame you for being human.

They stay.

They love you gently when you can’t love yourself.

They remind you who you are when you’ve forgotten.

They choose you—not just at your best, but especially at your worst.

These are your people.

But as much as you learn who stayed, you also learn who didn’t. And that part stings. You can see who turned away and disappeared when things got too real. You realize who only showed up when it was easy or convenient. And that grief—that quiet ache of being left behind—hurts in a way words don’t quite touch.

But here’s the part that matters most:

you stop chasing them.

You stop searching for people who never looked for you.

You stop shrinking to fit into spaces that were never meant for you.

And something powerful starts to happen—

you begin to choose yourself.

You begin to prioritize your peace, your energy, and your healing.

You start listening to your intuition instead of the noise.

You speak less, observe more, and move with quiet strength.

And in this growth, this reclamation of self, these words from Meryl Streep land like a truth you’ve always known:

“Over time I stopped talking to people who didn’t listen and people who always wanted to be right.

I stopped looking for people who never looked for me, thinking about people who never thought of me.

I started doing what I am comfortable with, without unnecessary things, but with passion.

I started to rely on my intuition in everything, in every area, in relation to every person.

I’ve started avoiding negative people and only meeting a few positive ones.

Because I learned to value myself and my needs are my priority.

Because I believe I am worth it.” — Meryl Streep

So yes, remember who stayed.

Hold them close.

Love them fiercely.

But also remember what you found within yourself—through the hurt, the letting go, and the quiet rebuilding.

Because the truth is… you stayed, too.

And that’s worth everything.

Reflective Journal Prompt

Take a quiet moment to write without filters or pressure. Let it all out.

• Who are the people who stayed when everything around you felt like it was falling apart?
• How did they show up for you?
• Who didn’t stay—and what did their absence teach you?
• What have you discovered about your worth through all of it?
• How will you choose yourself moving forward?

Write without filtering. You don’t have to make it pretty—just make it real.

CLICK HERE for a downloadable copy of the journal prompts.

Blessings,

Judy

©️2025 Musing by Judy Gallauresi