The day they took over my life,

I learnt to turn off read receipts. 

I learnt to hide the fact that I indeed did see the paragraphs you sent.

The paragraphs that told me that I wasn’t enough

That told me that I’m making everything worse

That reminded me that you were better than me, that my experiences should have been yours.

That reminded me that you had the power and that I was defenseless. 

Who knew that something so simple as turning off read receipts could give one so much freedom? So much relief? 

Having something so simple, like being able to turn off read receipts showed me that I have control over myself.

Having simple control showed me that I am not their puppet, but my own person.

Simple control reminded me that I’m myself.

That I am me.

That no matter what they tell me, I have control,

Even if its as simple as turning off read receipts.