I’ve remembered what it feels like to laugh loudly at a joke without having to disrupt the flow of conversation for two minutes while I “overhear” it. I’ve become closer to my real friends, and more distant from total strangers. Which seems like the right direction for things to be moving in.

I think what people fear the most is to face what’s left after years of unconscious abuse; that the emptiness of quitting is all that remains and focus and awareness are nowhere to be found.

Well, that’s precisely the best part: the refreshing taste of freedom you get rediscovering what’s really important is still there.