waking up next to a partner you no longer recognize because you both changed in different directions

The Same Fire Burns Beneath Both

The sun is rising, but the person beside you feels like a stranger wearing a familiar face. You both woke up in different worlds, drifting while the other slept, and the silence between you is heavy with the weight of who you used to be.

It is terrifying to look at someone you love and realize you no longer know the landscape of their soul — or your own. But listen closely — the light does not demand that you recognize each other perfectly before it speaks.

There is a spark inside both of you that existed before the drift began, and it remains untouched by the distance. You do not have to fix the gap today.

You only have to remember that the same fire burns beneath both sets of ribs, waiting to be fanned back into flame. The morning is not a verdict on your separation; it is an invitation to begin again, one quiet breath at a time.

Drawing from

Gospel of Thomas, Matthew

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