the ego hurts you//

So lately, I've been coming across article after article- all focused on a girl not ever forgetting how "he hurt her heart".. how she will never forget how he loved her but left her hurting. As I read these articles, over and over again, I reach a point of irritation. 

And it's okay for me to feel irritated at this because I was that woman. I was the woman holding onto pain and the memory of something and comparing that to my present.  

Comparing someone to the man of the past. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to me. It wasn't fair to the person in front of me. As time has passed, I've let go of the hurt, the pain, and the anger. I've released the memories and made room for the new memories and moments that await me. It's refreshing. 

Today, I came across a quote that said: 

"the ego hurts you like this:

you become obsessed with the one person who does not love you. Blind to the rest who do." -Warsan Shire

I saved that quote so quickly. 

It's so sad that we can get so wrapped up in memories and the past, and people of the past- that we totally and completely miss what is right in front of us. We miss the present. So worried and caught up that we forget to breathe. To take a deep breath and just release the negativity and the ones who no longer serve a purpose in our lives. 

This is hitting me like a ton of bricks the past few weeks. 

And I've made a promise to myself and to my present. 

To live in the moment and to stop playing the "what if" game. To genuinely care for and enjoy each person in my life. Right in front of me. Because God knows what He is doing. He knows who belongs and who doesn't belong in our lives. Stop questioning Him. Stop thinking He made a mistake. Surrender and even though you may not understand what He is doing, have the attitude of 

"God, I'm here. I'm not sure of what is really going on. But this is where You have me. I'm going to live and breathe and share You. On this day, in this moment. In this present time. One day at a time."

Stop missing what's happening in front of you.

photo credits: Sarah McCallister, Prattville, Alabama.