#RelatableReads

[thechillexplorer]

🧠 Overthinking Everything Since 2005

By: A Chill Explorer

“I don’t just think. I rehearse, replay, redesign, and regret — all before lunch.”

— Probably Me

Hey there,

I’m a Chill Explorer — someone who lounges in comfy corners, stares at ceilings, and questions everything… including the ceiling.

Born in 2005, and since then? Well, I’ve been overthinking my way through life like it’s an unpaid full-time job.

👧🏽 Kid Me: The Drama Detective

As a kid, when my mum scolded me, I didn’t just pout and move on. I’d stare dramatically into the void and think: “Maybe she’s not even my real mom. Maybe she kidnapped my real one and replaced her.”

Every bedtime story ended with me questioning family trees.

I also spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering who loved me more — mummy or papa. (Answer: Neither, when you mess up the Wi-Fi.)

👀 Teen Me: The Insecurity Intern

Teenage years = Peak spiral season.

I overthought my big nose, my dark skin, the number of friends I didn’t have, and every “hmm” sent over text.

One “k” and I was in my room writing emotional poetry with sad playlist volume at 100.

My brain? A never-ending ‘what if’ machine.

🧑🏽‍💼 Adult Me (Or Whatever This Phase Is)

Welcome to Corporate Overthinking™.

Now it’s about my CGPA, career choices, and life decisions that feel like playing Jenga blindfolded.

I’ve always hated studies. Always loved art, music, writing… but guess who chose a business degree? Yep — Miss Stability Over Passion. 🙃

And guess what? I still overthink. I overthink deadlines, future jobs, whether to email with “Regards” or “Warm Regards”… it's endless.

💡 Why I’m Grateful for My Overthinking Brain

Sure, it brings stress and the occasional emotional breakdown in the shower. But it’s also my superpower.

Because of it, I:

joined case competitions

did internships and live projects

improved my CGPA (somehow)

became someone who cares deeply about her relationships

If I fight with someone, I overthink it to the point of apologizing with food, memes, or over-the-top voice notes.

💫 In the End...

I’m just a Chill Explorer. Still spiraling, still overthinking — but also still learning, growing, and feeling things way too deeply.

And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

📌 *“Overthinking doesn’t mean you’re broken.

It means you’re human with Wi-Fi on 24/7 inside your head.”*

[kayemndz]

When the World Stood Still 🕰️

"By His Wounds, We Are Healed." —Isaiah 53:5

February 16, 2020 : Sagada Abandoned Bus, Mountain Province PH

The pandemic taught us many things, but above all, it reminded us of this: nothing is ever truly permanent.

The malls we used to wander, the offices that defined our days, the movies that gave us escape, the night outs that made us feel alive, all of it vanished in a blink. The world grew quiet. And in that stillness, we found ourselves returning to what never left: home. Family. The kind of comfort that doesn't fade when the world does.

Quarantine became more than just isolation. It became a mirror. And in that mirror, I began seeing pieces of myself reflected in the presence of the people who stayed closest to me, my friends who felt more like family. We talked about things we never used to say out loud. We shared quiet truths in late-night messages that stretched past midnight. Some words were gentle, like comfort you didn’t know you needed. Others were honest, and they stung a little, but they reached me. And maybe that’s what real friendship is: not always joy, not always ease, but a space where you are known. Not just the best parts, but the complicated ones too. With them, I didn’t feel lost. I felt awake.

Funny how people arrive at the strangest time. Sometimes, they show up when your world is falling apart, light in their eyes, darkness in their past, carrying both hope and hurt in their hands. And yet, they stay.

I’ve come to believe that every person we meet carries a lesson. Some lift you. Some leave you. Some drain the very light from you. And then, there are the rare ones, the ones who return, not to rebuild what was, but to help you realize what could be. They remind you of your worth when you’ve forgotten it. They notice the small things. They forgive what hurt them. They choose to see the good in you even when you can’t see it in yourself.

They remind you that you are not too much. You are not too little. You are enough.

I’ve learned that it’s not our job to convince anyone of our worth. If you know you deserve more, don’t wait for someone else to believe it. Be it. Walk away from people who make you question your value. Don’t justify mistreatment. Don’t hold space for lies. You can love someone and still choose yourself. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stop fighting to be understood and start standing for what you deserve.

And now, as we celebrate the Resurrection, may we also rise. From what hurt us. From what we’ve outgrown. From what no longer feels like love. There is always a new beginning waiting, but only if we’re brave enough to let go.

Let us live in a way that honors who we are becoming. Be gentle with yourself. Be proud of how far you’ve come. And know this: you were never alone in the dark. You were just being led toward the light.

Today, take a breath. Say a prayer. Be grateful. You are here, still growing, still healing, still worthy.

Happy Easter 🌿

New life. New grace. A new you.

With love and gratitude,

Kaye

[ojensby]

Books are more than pages; they’re lifelines. Whether it’s comfort, inspiration, or pure escape, stories remind us that every chapter brings a new perspective.

A Book a Day Keeps the Mental Breakdown Away Shirt – Relatable Book Lover Tee – Read More Cry Less

[lovestoread08]

💙💜Stronger by @erica_marselas is a heartwarming tale about first love, life and overcoming obstacles.💙💜 This unforgettable masterpiece is available for purchase today or can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited and with Prime! ⠀ ⠀ “This book had so many swoon-worthy moments. It had heart, intrigue, suspense, determination and love. I couldn’t put this book down as I needed to figure out what happened. You will love Brooke and Hunter’s story! An absolute must read! ~Brittany @happy.ending.always⠀ ⠀ 💪🏽“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”💪🏽⠀ ⠀ These were words Brooklyn Turner has lived by throughout her whole high school life. She shied herself away from everyone, all in the hopes of avoiding unwanted attention and getting hurt again.⠀ ⠀ It was an easy plan. ⠀ ⠀ But when is anything ever easy? ⠀ ⠀ Hunter Evans, the star of the football team, comes to her for tutoring. He’s always saw her, but never approached her. ⠀ ⠀ Why would he? He’s the most popular guy in school and best friends with Kara Adams, Brooklyn’s tormenter.⠀ ⠀ Despite what his friends thought, he saw her for who she really was. ⠀ ⠀ He helps her find herself again. He helps her heal. ⠀ ⠀ But one thing’s for sure. ⠀ ⠀ He never saw the impact she’d have on him. ⠀ ⠀ Or how much they needed each other. ⠀ ⠀ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NBKJKRM https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NBKJKRM https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NBKJKRM https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07NBKJKRM 💜 Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Stronger/dp/B07ZQSCKXZ/ 💙 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/stronger-42 💜 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43511762-stronger #EricaMarselas #StrongerTogether #NewAduldRomance #YoungAdultRomance #StopBulling #NowLive #HEARomance #SheReads #BookAddict #InspiringReads #RelatableReads #Amazon #KindleBooks #Bookish #Biblio #Bibliophile #bookstagram #BooksBooksBooks #BookishAF #RomanceReads #BookBoyfriend #KindleUnlimited #Ku #EricasDiamondBabes #BookObsessed #SupportIndieAuthors #IndieAuthors #IndieReaders #ReadersofInstagram @cr8zysockbookblock https://www.instagram.com/p/CVSlGEFAxov/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kayemndz]

A Leap of Faith and Everything After ✨

There are things I can’t easily put into words. Like a pain you feel but can’t put into words. You can’t point to where it hurts, but you know that it does.

So here it is, I’ll say it plainly. I'm in a chapter of my life where everything feels unbearably heavy. I’m fully aware of it, even if I never thought this season would come so soon. But if not now, when?

Right now, I feel like the most foolish version of myself. I am reckless, impulsive, sometimes immature. And honestly? I don’t even try to deny it anymore. Because at the end of the day, I’m left alone, with all the choices I made, all the regrets I carry, and all the consequences I now have to live with. The decisions are still mine to make, even when I feel lost.

We all know our truth deep down. We know what we’re going through. It's just a matter of whether we face it or avoid it entirely. We feel our own pain, and if we’re honest, we also sense the pain of those we’ve hurt, even when we pretend not to.

Lately, I've been crying most nights. Sleep escapes me. Thoughts of you take up so much space in my head, but I’m trying. I’ve been keeping myself busy—doing things I never imagined I could handle, going places I never thought I’d reach. And in the process, I’ve hurt people too. I’ve said things I didn’t mean. I've acted like someone even I barely recognize. But through all of it, I remind myself: my feelings are valid. The way I hurt was never without reason. It was the aftermath of what you did to me.

Still, I want to thank you.

March 02, 2013 : Kamay ni Hesus, Lucban Quezon PH

Thank you for showing me how to love unconditionally. Thank you for teaching me that sometimes, love means not expecting anything in return. You gave me so much. Experiences, growth, and lessons I’ll carry for life. Even with all the betrayal, I won’t regret a single moment, not even the time I feel I wasted. Because it made me stronger. It made me whole again.

Maybe I wasn’t the one you needed. Maybe I was never the one you wanted to spend your forever with. But I understand now. I truly do.

Moving on from you has been hard. So instead, I’ll just move forward. It’s not that I’ve stopped loving you, because I haven’t, but I won’t stay stuck anymore. I’ve made peace with the fact that my journey continues without you in it. But I’ll take the lessons you left me. That part stays.

Sometimes, the smallest decision leads to the biggest change. And no—you don’t have to have everything figured out to begin again. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll feel like a mess. But progress isn’t always pretty. It’s still progress.

If I’ve learned anything about love, it’s this: it’s hard work. No one person can meet all your needs—but with the right effort and commitment, anything is possible. It’s about listening. It's about meeting halfway. It’s about growing together, even as you grow individually. You need space, independence, and the ability to create your own happiness.

And above all: you have to choose each other. Every single day.

You don’t have to chase love. The right one will find you. And when they do, you won’t need to ask to be treated right—they just will. They’ll learn how you love. They’ll speak your language, even when you haven’t said a word.

So take that leap, even when it’s terrifying. Even when it breaks you open.

Let your faith be bigger than your fear.

Still choosing faith,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

You are Beautiful 💫

Dear you, I’ve been thinking lately about what truly makes someone beautiful. And I realized it’s not always the loudest voice in the room or the brightest smile. Sometimes, it’s the quiet softness. The kind of beauty that doesn't scream for attention but simply exists — gently, honestly. I think what makes you beautiful is your heart. You feel deeply. You cry over sad movies but still hold on to the belief that happy endings exist. You find joy in little things, in lyrics that understand you, in books that hold you, in poems that feel like home. There’s a quiet kind of magic in you, something hard to describe but easy to feel. And yes, your imperfections only make you more human, more real, more art. You love fearlessly. You give so much of yourself, not because you expect anything back, but because you don’t know how to love any other way.

February 16, 2020 : Sagada, Mountain Province PH

Even when things feel heavy, even when the world feels cold, you try to hold on to meaning. You keep believing that kindness still matters. Maybe you don’t always do things the way others expect. Maybe you're not everyone’s cup of tea and honestly, that’s a good thing. Because you’ve learned that your best won’t always be enough for some, but that’s never stopped you from giving your best anyway. And that, to me, is beautiful. What makes you even more beautiful is that you’ve chosen to be yourself, fully and unapologetically. You walk your own path, trust your own timing, and believe even on the hard days that you’ll get to where you’re meant to be. That place where everything feels a little softer, a little more right. You’re still figuring it all out. We all are. But even when you can’t quite see it, I hope you know this — You are beautiful. Especially then. Always rooting for you,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

Love, Friendship

October 13, 2019 : #LPCon2019 Circuit, Makati PH

How does it feel to be unwanted by the person you want the most? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You begin to question love itself. You wonder if it’s fair to feel this much, and if that pain gives you the right to be angry with them for not feeling the same way.

Take a deep breath. Give yourself a moment of silence. Reflect on this. Love doesn’t always go the way we hope. People are different. Feelings don’t always match, and that’s not your fault or theirs.

When someone makes you feel unwanted, don’t try to make them feel guilty. Don’t stay just to prove a point or leave to make them regret. Leave only when your heart has no more reason to stay. Leave because you’ve outgrown the pain, not because you want to inflict it.

And I get it. What if they’re part of your circle? What if walking away feels impossible? Here’s what I believe. Never sacrifice friendship for someone who can’t see your worth. True friends are the ones who remind you of who you are when you forget. They hold space for your pain, and they love you through the mess.

You don’t have to disappear. Just step out of the situation, not out of the lives of those who truly see you.

What’s meant to be will find a way. And what isn’t meant for you, no matter how hard you fight, will fall apart. Love is worth fighting for, but not alone. You deserve someone who fights for you too. Someone who makes you feel chosen, not just tolerated. Someone who treasures you even more than you treasure them.

And trust me, God has already written someone into your story who will love you like you’ve always wanted. Who won’t make you wonder. Who won’t make you wait.

I say this from a very real and tender place. If this speaks to you, I know you’re hurting. I know you’re asking yourself why you allowed your heart to feel so much. Why it hurts this way. Why they couldn’t love you back.

But listen closely. You are not unworthy. It’s not your loss. It’s theirs for missing the kind of love only you can give.

So from here on out, don’t keep risking your heart for something that’s not growing. Risk it where there’s real potential. Where there’s love that returns to you. Where you feel wanted, not just needed.

With love always,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

2019: A Radical Change 🌱

2019, you were a lot.

You made me cry. You made me laugh.

And now, I think it’s finally time to let go.

It sounds simple. But truth is, saying goodbye to something that once meant so much takes more courage than people realize. Letting go is never easy, especially when you’ve held on for so long. But holding on to what hurts only drains you until there's nothing left. And I want to live again.

You taught me something I never expected: that I’ll never truly be ready for what life throws at me. It comes unannounced, joy, heartbreak, endings, beginnings. I won’t always have the answers. But I’ve learned that faith, even the fragile kind, is enough to carry me through. I can’t shield myself from pain. I can’t stop love from asking too much of me. So I surrender all of it. My hopes, my heaviness, my heart, to Him.

Life is a classroom, and we are all still learning. I’ve come to understand that people may forget what you said, even what you did, but never how you made them feel. And in all the chaos and unmet expectations, I’ve learned to accept what is. Because things rarely go the way we planned, but somehow, they always unfold exactly as they should.

Thank you, 2019. You happened the way you were meant to.

July 18, 2017 : Pintô Art Museum, Antipolo Rizal PH

To M&M, my constants, thank you for catching me even before I fall. You are magic in human form.

To my soul circle — my church best friends, ADEFL, thank you for being the safest place I’ve ever known. For staying, for listening, for seeing me in all my mess and still choosing to stay. For loving me when I didn’t even like myself. Without you guys, this year might’ve broken me. But because of you, I held on and healed.

To my PAL friends — DEC, RHO, CAR, PIN,  JOB, even across time zones, you remind me that I’m never truly alone. Thank you for being just a message away, always.

To an old friend from college — you know who you are — thank you for walking with me through heartbreak and healing, for showing up through your stories, your comfort, and unexpected happiness. You were a quiet light in a very dark time.

To Tita D, thank you for treating me like your own, for being my secret keeper, for opening your home and heart without hesitation. Your kindness has shaped parts of me I didn’t know were missing. I will carry your warmth forever.

To my family, thank you for your quiet love. For giving me space to hurt, to heal, to figure things out at my own pace. You let me grieve without guilt, and that gave me the strength to begin again. Please don’t be sad for me. This had to happen so that I could grow. Pain has a purpose, and one day, we’ll see it clearly.

And finally, to DR. You were my entire 2019.

You were the chapter I never saw coming, the radical shift I didn’t know I needed. Because of you, I learned what time, trust, and love truly mean. I don’t regret you. I don’t regret us. But if I’m being honest, there are days I wish I had left before you did.

I hope you live boldly.

I hope you find what you’re looking for.

I hope you come home to yourself and learn to love the life meant for you.

You didn’t love me the way I hoped, but that’s okay. Because you taught me something even more important: how to love myself.

And now I know, I am enough. I’ve always been enough.

I deserve the love I give so freely. I deserve joy, peace, and everything I used to pray for.

I may not be the same person I was at the start of the year,

But my heart? It’s still good. It’s still kind. It’s still mine.

Here’s to the new year.

366 days to try again. To begin again. To believe again.

The end is just a part of the journey.

Let go of what’s gone.

Appreciate what remains.

And look forward to what’s coming.

Written in tears,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

To New Beginnings

June 6, 2011 : Panay Island, PH

In time, you’ll come to see that change can be a beautiful thing.

Letting go might feel terrifying at first, but it gets easier. It just takes time.

Time to slowly release what once filled so much of your heart.

You're not the same person anymore. And that's okay.

The excitement that once lit you up has faded. What used to make you feel alive is now just a quiet memory, fading slowly into the background.

But deep down, when it’s time, you’ll know.

You’ll feel it in your chest, that quiet nudge that tells you: the only way forward is to let go.

And no, it’s not easy.

Starting over rarely is. Especially when part of you is still holding on to the past. But somewhere between who you were and who you're becoming, you'll realize this truth:

The most meaningful things in life often begin after we’ve said the hardest goodbyes.

Because the journey was never just about where you're going, it’s always been about who you’re becoming along the way.

Maybe that’s what makes change beautiful.

Some things have to end so better things can begin.

And just because a chapter closes doesn’t mean it wasn’t important.

Maybe “meant to be” doesn’t always mean “meant to last forever.”

Maybe some people come into our lives to teach us something, to show us a piece of ourselves. And when their part in your story is done, it’s not your job to make them stay.

Let them go.

They have their own journey to take.

And you? You’re still writing yours.

June 7, 2011 : Iloilo Strait, PH

One day, you’ll look back and understand.

The pain, the letting go, the changes, they all had a purpose.

And somehow, you’ll be grateful it happened that way.

Because maybe, just maybe…

Endings don’t need to be happy to be beautiful.

Sometimes, they’re just the beginning of where you’re truly meant to be.

Here’s to quiet endings and brave beginnings.

With love,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

In Time, You Will

You will get there.

Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But you will.

Take your time. You’re not falling behind—you’re just growing. And growth doesn’t happen all at once. It’s slow, quiet, and often messy. Some days will feel heavy. Some days, still. But that’s part of it. Good things take time.

Be kind to yourself. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You’re allowed to feel lost, to pause, to begin again.

Don’t change just to be easier to love. Don’t shrink to fit in. You’re not here to be small. You’re here to be real.

Try the things that excite you. Let go of what no longer feels right. Let yourself feel everything even the hard parts. Because one day, you’ll look back and see how every step shaped you into who you were always meant to be.

Everything will make sense one day.

Maybe not in the way you expected, but in a way that feels right.

People may leave. Plans may shift. But trust this—

What’s meant for you will always come back.

Not always how you imagined, but often better. Often when you’re finally ready.

So, keep going. Keep trusting. Keep becoming.

You’re exactly where you need to be.

Here with you,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

“Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father's love—difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs… everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weakness… Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift.” — St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Everything is Grace

Have you ever gone through something deeply painful, and yet your heart still felt full?

You were hurting, but somehow, you also felt blessed. It didn’t make sense, but something inside you knew the reason.

Because He was there.

Even in the pain, even in the waiting, even in the silence. He was there, quietly filling the empty spaces with strength, peace, and grace.

He does not waste a single part of your journey. Every tear, every detour, every heartbreak. It all prepares you for the season ahead. He is shaping you, molding you, getting you ready to bloom. He knows your heart. He knows your strength. And He walks with you through every moment of it.

Sometimes, grace is choosing to understand when you are hurt. It is choosing peace when chaos surrounds you. It is showing love when it is not deserved. Grace teaches you to soften, to forgive, to love deeply and kindly.

You are not being punished. You are being prepared.

God never leaves you where He finds you. He meets you there, yes, but He leads you toward healing, toward peace, toward who you are becoming. He surprises you with quiet joy in sorrow, with calm in the middle of mess, and with meaning in moments you never expected.

Everything is grace.

As the year ends, take a moment to let go. Let go of what is heavy. Let go of what no longer helps you grow. And let God carry what you cannot.

His plans are greater than anything you can imagine. His love is bigger than anything that has ever broken you. And by His grace, you will make it through what you once thought you could not.

God’s grace is more than a second chance. It is a third, a fourth, a fifth. It is a love that keeps on giving, no matter where you have been.

So breathe. Trust. Let grace find you. Let it change you.

And in everything, believe this—

all is well.

Always,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

In a World That Tries to Change You

I think more clearly at night. Maybe it’s the silence, maybe it’s the space. But that’s when everything I’ve been pushing aside finally catches up with me. If you’re a night thinker too, you probably know the feeling.

Some nights, it just hits you how rough this world can be. People will try to take advantage of your kindness. They’ll walk over your boundaries. You’ll get judged for things you never even said or did. And if you’re someone who feels deeply or cares too much, it can feel like you’re always the one getting hurt.

It’s easy to think that being soft, being sensitive is a weakness. That you need to be harder, colder, tougher just to survive.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned: softness isn’t weakness. It’s courage. It’s strength. It’s refusing to let the world change the core of who you are.

People will have opinions. They’ll try to bring you down, twist your words, or even question your worth. But you’re not here to please them. You’re here to live your life, for you. And yeah, you’ll make choices that others don’t understand. You might even regret a few. But every single one of them teaches you something. That’s how you grow.

The world will change you because no one gets out untouched. But let that change come from within. Let it be because you decided to grow, not because someone broke you and left you to pick up the pieces in their image.

Don’t let someone turn you into what they need. Don’t shut down your heart just because it’s been hurt. Learn the lesson, but keep your warmth. Keep your empathy. Keep your softness, not for anyone else, but for yourself.

You’re allowed to feel everything deeply. You’re allowed to not have it all figured out. But don’t lose yourself trying to meet the expectations of a world that doesn’t always see your value.

Stay true. Stay soft. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s brave.

Your softness is not your weakness.

It’s your quiet power.

Until the next late-night thought,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

When Time Changes Everything

This time last year, things were different. So was last month. Last week. Even yesterday.

A year ago, life felt exciting and full of new things and familiar joys.

Last month felt manageable, like a slow breath in the middle of chaos.

But these past two weeks? They’ve felt like a slow unraveling. Dreadful, even.

Funny how time does that.

How it moves so quietly, and yet leaves so much noise behind.

Time has a way of making or breaking us. But mostly, it just passes.

And when you're in pain, especially the kind of pain you can't explain out loud, a heartbreak, grief, disappointment, it's hard to believe that passing time can actually help. But it does.

Not all at once. Not overnight. But slowly, one heavy step, one quiet day, one deep breath at a time.

You won’t get time back, and that’s what makes it sacred. But if you’re hurting now, trust that the same time that broke you is also the one that will piece you back together. Not perfectly, but gently.

A friend once told me:

When life feels stagnant, that’s when it’s about to shift. I didn’t believe it then. But now, I know it to be true.

Change doesn’t always ask permission. Sometimes it just barges in, flips everything you know upside down, and asks you to trust that there’s something better coming.

I used to be afraid of change. Now I see it as a kind of rescue, the one you don’t realize you need until you’ve already let go.

See, I lost someone I thought would choose to stay.

Someone I believed was ready to build a life with me, to grow together while cheering each other on as we grew individually.

But he left. And I begged, because when you love someone deeply, begging feels like fighting. I believed we could weather anything. That I could love him through the storms, even the ones he created himself.

But he asked me to walk away. So I did.

Not because I stopped loving him, but because I had to honor the space he said he needed. Because love isn’t about clinging, it’s about respecting.

And as the days passed, I came to understand something heartbreaking but true:

You can’t love someone into staying. You can’t fix a relationship by loving harder. You should never have to beg for time, attention, or affection.

The right people?

They’ll give those things freely. They’ll show up not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s hard. They’ll choose you even when nothing is certain. They’ll stay even when staying requires work.

Yes, I’m still hurting. Some days, it still feels like it all happened just moments ago. And yes, I smile when I’m around others. But inside, some parts still ache.

Because that’s what heartbreak does — it carves deep. But I’m learning to let myself feel it all. Not rush through it. Not sugarcoat it. Because healing starts with honesty.

I had to let him go. Because I know going back won’t bring me peace. It’ll only reopen the wounds.

Time changed everything.

And one day, I believe it will change me too.

Maybe it already has.

2011: The weight of one drop and everything it carried.

Until it hurts less,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

Why

Kaye @ One — "Tiny, clueless, and surrounded by nothing but love and when everything felt safe."

Why does my heart feel this broken?

Why does it ache this much for someone who used to be part of my every day?

Why do the beautiful words he once said now sting like salt on an open wound?

Why do the memories that once made me smile now bring me to tears?

Why did I let it get this far, I let the walls down, let him in, let myself believe?

Why did I love someone who only pretended he’d stay?

He wasn’t afraid to break me.

And maybe I wasn’t careful enough to protect myself.

I thought I was smarter than this and wiser than letting someone have that much of me.

I thought I was good enough to be chosen, to be fought for, to be kept.

But maybe that’s exactly why I’m here, asking all these questions.

Because maybe… I wasn’t.

Or maybe I was?

But he just wasn’t the one who could see it.

Still, I’m learning.

Still, I’m healing.

And maybe one day, I’ll stop asking why.

In the middle of figuring it all out,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

Hey you. I’m really glad you’re here.

This little space is where I spill my thoughts, share tiny stories, and hold space for the in between moments. The ones that often go unnoticed but linger the longest.

Before we get lost in the thoughts and real-life things I tend to write late at night when I probably should’ve been sleeping, I want to share the heart behind this name: Kaye Between the Lines.

So… why that name?

I think life isn’t always lived out loud. Sometimes the most meaningful things are the ones we don’t say directly. A quiet realization during a random Tuesday, a pause in conversation, or the thoughts we keep in our Notes app and never post.

That’s what this is about.

“Between the lines” is where I keep all the bits that are real but don’t always come with the right caption. The everyday thoughts, soft feelings, and small but special moments that say more than they seem to.

It’s where I can just be me. Not curated, not filtered, not always composed…

What you’ll find here

You’ll find my unfiltered thoughts. Raw reflections on life’s highs and lows, and the occasional brain dump of everything in between. Some deep, some absolutely unhinged. You’ll find little stories that made me feel something, even if it was small. Sometimes I reflect on lessons I’m still learning, slowly but surely. Other times, I just write what’s on my mind and hope it lands somewhere soft.

This blog is where I let the quieter parts of life breathe. The unspoken thoughts, the blurry in-betweens, the days that feel like everything and nothing all at once.

Why it matters

We’re all living in the in-betweens. Between goals and growth, between heartbreak and healing, between who we are and who we’re becoming.

So, if you’re into cozy thoughts, life reflections, or just looking for someone else who's also figuring things out day by day, maybe this can be a gentle place for you, too.

Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. Stay a while. Wander through the words.

Thanks for being here. Let’s figure it all out between the lines.

With warmth,

Kaye

[kayemndz]

Today, Here — A Little Reminder to Breathe.

“All these fears are around me They're coming to get me But emotions, they follow Words of tomorrow If you know this, you'll get it You probably felt it today Today, here.” —Ben&Ben, WAR

You ever have one of those days where everything feels a little too much? That's me right now.

WAR. That’s the only word that makes sense for what’s going on in my head. Not the loud, chaotic kind, just the quiet kind where your thoughts are heavy and everything feels like a mess you didn’t see coming.

Things changed so fast.

I didn’t even have time to understand what was happening. One minute it felt fine, the next it didn’t. It hit me hard, and now I’m just sitting with it, trying to figure out how I really feel.

There’s pain. There’s fear. There’s frustration that keeps building up.

I try to keep it together, but some days it feels like it’s all going to spill out. And maybe that’s okay.

I keep reminding myself that tomorrow is a fresh start. A new chance to feel a little better. To think a little clearer. It might not solve everything, but sometimes, just waking up and getting through the day is enough.

So today, here, I’m still trying. Still breathing. Still figuring things out.

If you’re going through something too, you’re not alone. Life gets heavy, but we keep showing up anyway. And maybe that’s enough for now.

Still feeling, still healing,

Kaye