“I know that place.

And I know it feels like it goes on forever, and like nobody’s ever going to believe you, and like the safest thing is to stay quiet and small and wait it out.

I stayed quiet for years.

I want to tell you the thing I wish someone had told me: you don’t have to.

There are people whose whole job is to open the door you’re not allowed to open yourself.

I’m one of them now.