It took me a long time to say that without bitterness in my voice. For years, I saw every goodbye as rejection — every person who walked away as proof that I wasn’t enough. I used to replay those endings in my mind, wondering what I could’ve done differently, what I could’ve said to make them stay. But now, I see things differently.

Some people weren’t meant to walk the whole journey with you. They were lessons, not lifetimes. God didn’t let them leave to punish you — He let them go to protect you. There were prayers I once cried over, asking God to fix certain friendships and relationships, not realizing He was answering by ending them.

I look back now and see how much peace followed every exit. How I grew when I finally stopped chasing what had expired. How I learned to love myself when the people I loved stopped showing up. The truth is, not everyone can handle your growth. Some connections make sense only in old seasons, and trying to hold onto them in new ones only creates pain.

So this Sunday, my gratitude looks a little different. I’m thanking God for the doors that closed, the silence that taught me strength, and the distance that brought me clarity. Because if they hadn’t left, I might have never learned to stand on my own.

Sometimes God removes people not to hurt you, but to make room for peace, purpose, and new beginnings. So yes — this Sunday, I’m thanking God for the people who left. Because their absence made space for the life I was always meant to live.