I Missed This Place: A Busy Life, A Grateful Return

Introduction

I never planned to disappear.

Not from writing.

Not from Vocal.

Not from the community that once felt like a daily part of my life.

It just happened.

Life got loud.

Time slipped away.

And suddenly, two months passed before I even realized how long I had been gone.

I missed this place more than I expected.

I missed writing.

I missed creating.

I missed the people who cared enough to read my words.

Today, I am finally back.

And it feels so good to say that.

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When Life Takes Over

Sometimes life moves faster than our plans can keep up.

Every week I told myself,

“I will write tomorrow.”

Then tomorrow became next week.

Next week became another month.

I was juggling:

• Work responsibilities

• Personal commitments

• Family needs

• Everyday problems

• Time management struggles

It felt like I was constantly running but never arriving anywhere.

I wanted to write.

I wanted to log in and share my thoughts.

Though by the end of each day, I barely had the energy to think, let alone create.

There is a special kind of sadness that comes from being too busy to do the things you love.

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Missing A Creative Home

Writing on Vocal was never just a hobby for me.

It was:

• A way to express myself

• A place to breathe

• A reminder that I have a voice

• A bridge that connects me with others

Every published piece gave me a sense of joy and purpose.

Every comment from a friend here felt like a warm welcome.

I didn’t realize how much this platform meant to me until I stepped away from it.

During those two months, something felt incomplete.

A piece of me was missing.

A space inside me stayed quiet, waiting for my return.

I would think to myself:

“I wonder what everyone is writing now.”

“I hope my friends are still here.”

“I hope they remember me.”

I missed showing up.

I missed cheering others on.

I missed the creative energy that flows through this community.

Vocal was the place where my thoughts found a home.

And I missed home.

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The Pressure I Put On Myself

There is a strange pressure that comes with disappearing for a while.

You start to worry:

“What if people think I gave up?”

“What if no one cares that I’m gone?”

“What if I come back and it’s not the same?”

I kept waiting for the “perfect moment” to return.

A moment when I’d feel inspired, ready, confident.

That moment never came on its own.

I had to choose it.

I had to say,

“Busy or not, overwhelmed or not, I deserve to create again.”

That choice changed everything.

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A New Beginning

So here I am.

Back where I belong.

Back doing what makes me feel alive.

I am not returning because life suddenly got easy.

I am returning because writing makes life easier to carry.

I want to show up for myself again.

I want to grow again.

I want to reconnect with the friends who encouraged me from the start.

And to those friends, if you are reading this…

Thank you for not giving up on me.

Your support matters more than you know.

Consider this my hello again.

My warm wave from the doorway.

My promise that I am here to stay.

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What I Learned From The Pause

Taking time away taught me valuable lessons:

• Creativity needs space

• Rest is important too

• Busy doesn’t mean broken

• True communities welcome you back

• Your passion will wait for you

• You are allowed to begin again anytime

Sometimes stepping away helps you return stronger.

Now my heart is full of stories waiting to be written.

My mind is buzzing with ideas.

My soul feels ready to create again.

This is my fresh start.

My grateful return.

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A Message To Anyone Feeling Behind

If anyone reading this feels like they have fallen off track or lost their creative spark…

Here is what I want you to remember:

You are not late.

You are not forgotten.

You are not failing.

Life can be messy.

Dreams can get delayed.

Motivation can come and go.

What matters most is that you come back to what you love.

Even if you start small.

Even if you start slow.

Returning is always worth it.

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Conclusion: Coming Home To Myself

Writing on Vocal again feels like coming home after a long journey.

My break from here was not a goodbye.

It was a pause.

A necessary breath.

Now I am here.

With gratitude.

With joy.

With excitement for what comes next.

Thank you for waiting.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for welcoming me home.

I missed this place.

I missed this community.

I missed myself when I wasn’t writing.

Though now I am back.

And I’m not leaving again.

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Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi