It was more than a smile,

more than a laugh.

It was her soul

coming back.

It was more than breath,

more than ease.

It was her ache

learning how to leave.

It was more than pen to paper,

more than practiced words.

It was her story

remembering its worth.

It was the quiet return of color to her skin,

the soft yes whispered inside her ribs.

It was her heart

opening the windows again.

It was the moment she stopped surviving

and started arriving.

It was not a breakthrough —

it was a homecoming.

It was her.