In this article you will find this little narrative piece that came to be after seeing and even experiencing what it is like to stop taking care of yourself while caring for others. Let this be a reminder that you can't give what you don't have. Feel free to read and leave a comment after!

At times, you take a piece of yourself to offer it to someone else, blindfolded by the trust, love or empathy that compels you to do so. You keep losing yourself piece by piece, without even realizing (or wanting to), trying to build other people up or help them. Truth is, you can't see people consuming themselves to their own demise or suffering for that matter, because you want to contribute another piece to just "make it easier" for them.

In time you go to take one more piece, then you get to realize that you're too broken to hold just yourself up. You never paid attention to what was missing, and kept wandering around just hoping that you'd still have enough pieces for that parent, friend, sibling or stranger that may need it. A shattered mind concealed by a kind and friendly smile, a silent cage made by and for yourself.

You keep telling yourself that you are okay, that you don't need pieces, but in reality, you keep lying to yourself to keep spreading the unknown and foreign feeling of wellbeing.

Some people never get to the point where they have someone else that takes care of replacing those pieces that they gave out with one of theirs. Sharing the pain, walking with you, away from it. Or even trying to build themselves up, taking care of what had been so forgotten before.

Look for the people that support you, through bad and worse. They are the pieces that your heart, mind, and soul have been missing and the companion that will keep the key to your cage and the wings for you to fly free, free enough to find true happiness.

Share a piece, replace a piece.