I didn’t try.
I didn’t force it.
I didn’t rehearse it in front of the mirror like I used to — back when joy had to be mimicked.

This morning, I simply woke up.
Spine soft.
Breath calm.
And something in me — untouched, unbothered, unburdened — smiled.

No alarm of sorrow. No leftover dread. No waiting for the weight to return.
Only presence.
Only peace.
And a smile… quiet, uninvited, but deeply welcome.

For the first time in a long time, my body believed me.
It believed that I was safe.
It believed that we were done running.

This is not a victory.
This is a homecoming.
And I — I am here for it.