Burning Bridges to Grace

I’ve burned many bridges, and I embraced the concept of using the flames to light the way. I’d often think, "There are 8 billion people in the world, and this one can disturb someone else’s peace." A way of keeping my heart safe while I walked away from what no longer served me.

But as I’ve grown — spiritually, emotionally, mentally — I’ve realized something deeper. Understanding people from an expanded lens,  and seeing the roots behind their actions changed me and saved me. I started giving grace instead of burning everything down.

I adopted the idea of remaining a good person to people even when they weren’t capable of offering the same in return— not out of weakness, but out of wisdom. I’ve realized that sometimes, people aren’t unkind — they’re simply in survival mode. Some people are drowning in storms we were never meant to calm. 

That doesn’t mean we don’t set boundaries. It doesn’t mean we let ourselves be depleted in the name of loyalty. We draw lines in the ash because fences keep gardens growing. It means we discern when to offer empathy and when to quietly step away. Sometimes, we love from a distance. We protect our peace.  

We let the situation rest and trust that if grace is planted, growth may still come.

If Jesus laid to rest and rose in three days to save the world. Surely, we too can have faith in allowing others the space and time to return when their season of healing finally arrives.

Until then — we hold space. We stay kind. And we keep walking in the light.