Sometimes I feel like I’m living quietly in the background of my own story, always watching instead of stepping in. Books have been my safest escape since I was little — their worlds are loud and vast, the perfect contrast to my own shyness. I’m slowly learning that opening up, especially to someone who understands the quiet struggles… can be terrifying, yet deeply freeing. With you, I feel a delicate balance between comfort and the daring hope to grow beyond the limits I’ve set for myself.