Sometimes, we look at people who have moved far away, or who have completely walked away from their pasts, and we wonder why they couldn't just stay. It is easy to judge the departure from a distance, assuming that staying put is the safer, more comfortable choice. But Warsan Shire’s words remind us of a profound and heavy truth: leaving is rarely a whim or a simple desire for adventure. It is often a desperate necessity. To leave the place that holds your childhood memories, your language, and your sense of belonging means that the environment you left behind had become fundamentally unsafe. It means that the sanctuary you once knew had transformed into something predatory, leaving you with no choice but to face the unknown uncertainties of the world just to survive.

I think about this whenever I see someone struggling to rebuild their life in a new city or a new country. We see the courage it takes to learn a new language or navigate a new culture, but we often miss the shadow of the pain that drove them to leave. There is a specific kind of bravery found in those who carry the weight of a lost home. They aren't just traveling; they are escaping a reality that had become too much to bear. The courage to face the vast, scary ocean of the unknown is only matched by the heartbreak of having to abandon the only shore you ever knew.

I remember a dear friend of mine who arrived in my neighborhood with nothing but a single suitcase and a look of profound exhaustion in her eyes. To the outside world, she was just another newcomer, but as we sat together drinking tea, she shared stories of the life she had to leave behind. Her home hadn't just become difficult; it had become a place where her very identity was under threat. Watching her slowly bloom in a new environment, finding safety in small, quiet moments, taught me that migration is often a profound act of self-preservation. She wasn't running toward something new as much as she was running away from the teeth of a life that no longer allowed her to breathe.

If you are currently in a season of transition, or if you are carrying the heavy grief of a home left behind, please know that your strength is seen. Whether you left because of a physical danger or an emotional upheaval that made your old life unrecognizable, your survival is a testament to your resilience. Take a moment today to honor the bravery it took to choose a different path. Be gentle with your heart as you navigate this new landscape, and remember that even in the midst of great change, you are allowed to mourn what was lost while building something safe for yourself.