Kayla Hartman

𝓒𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓑𝔂 𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓴𝓕𝓜 It had been a while since I last laced up my running shoes with real intention. Life had a way of pulling me in different directions, and somewhere along the line, my once-regular runs turned into distant memories. But today was different. Today, I was back at it—determined, a little out of breath, but moving forward. The local park was the perfect place to start again. The crisp morning air, the steady rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement, and the hum of life around me—it all felt strangely familiar, yet new. As I slowed to a walk, catching my breath, I noticed her. She couldn’t have been more than eighteen, stretching after what looked like a strong run. There was an ease to her movements, the kind that comes with routine and discipline. She exuded the kind of energy I used to have, the kind I was hoping to find again. For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if she had ever felt the struggle of starting over—or if she had only ever known momentum.