Sometimes I wonder

If I am truly living my life

Or watching it pass me by, 

A quiet loop

Of work, children,

And the endless rhythm

Of house chores.

Dull morning arrives

Before the inhumane body has sufficiently rested,

And eerie night returns

With unfinished lists

Waiting patiently

On the kitchen table.

Honestly speaking,

I rarely catch a break.

When I do,

It comes disguised

As a few borrowed hours

Of sleep.

Work calls for my undivided attention.

My partner needs my renowned presence.

The children reach for my precious time,

Their laughter, their homework,

Their little worlds

That lean on mine.

So I give.

And give.

And give again.

I leave work extremely exhausted,

Yet home greets me

With more work waiting.

And somewhere between

Love and responsibility

A quiet question arises:

How does anyone

Balance it all?

Perhaps the answer

Was always hidden

In something

I never learned to build~

Boundaries.

I opened every door

To every incoming demand,

Every need,

Every expectation.

And without fortified walls

To hold my miniature strength together,

The weight of everything

Slowly found its host place

On my shoulders.

Now I am learning

A quieter truth:

Love does not fade

When we draw a discrete line.

Even devotion

Needs breathing space.

And even the strongest hearts

Must learn

Where to stop giving

So they may continue loving.

Poem Description 

This poem reflects the silent weight many parents carry while trying to balance work, relationships, and caregiving. It explores how the absence of healthy boundaries can lead to emotional exhaustion, even when actions are rooted in love and responsibility. Through reflection, the poem reminds us that self-care and boundaries are not acts of selfishness but necessary foundations for sustainable care.