A reminder of how far I’d come. A souvenir from a life I no longer lived. And now?
Now I wake up every day, light a cedar and clove candle, open my little café, and feed people who say things like, “This reminds me of my grandma’s cooking,” or “I haven’t tasted food this good since my wedding day.”
Some even cry. And I get it. Because food, when made with love, heals more than hunger.
So if you’re reading this, thinking about that one person who didn’t see your worth, let me tell you something:
They didn’t deserve you. Your care is not a weakness. It’s your strength.
One day, someone will thank you for the same things others took for granted. And if that day hasn’t come yet — make it come. Bake something, build something, be something for yourself first.
The people who matter will find you. If this story made you feel something — share it. Like it.
Let someone else out there know they’re not alone. Maybe they just need a little candle, a plate of food, and the right people to believe in them again.
