We like to tell ourselves that life is like a Disney movie – full of clear-cut heroes and villains, of good guys and bad guys, of perfect love stories and neatly tied-up endings. But the truth is, life isn’t like that. It’s messy, unpredictable, full of gray areas and unfinished chapters, and sometimes the people who break our hearts aren’t villains at all.
Sometimes, they’re just people – flawed, scared, stumbling through their own mess, and doing the best they can with what they have.
And maybe that’s the hardest part – realizing that not every heartbreak has a clear villain, that not every wound was inflicted on purpose, that not every person who leaves you bleeding was trying to hurt you.
Maybe they were just scared, lost, or too wrapped up in their own chaos to see the damage they were doing. Maybe they never meant to become the bad guy in your story.
When you’re the writer, you get to decide how the story is told. You get to decide who wears the black hat and who gets to walk away with a clean conscience. You get to choose who gets forgiven, who gets remembered, and who gets written off as a cautionary tale.
And for a long time, I think I chose the easy version – the one where I was the innocent one, the one who got hurt, the one who did nothing wrong. Because that version made it easier to walk away, easier to survive the ache, easier to pretend I hadn’t left my heart in someone else’s hands.
But the more I’ve reflected, the more I’ve realized that life isn’t a Disney movie. It’s not a perfect romantic story with clear heroes and villains, with perfect endings and happily ever afters.
It’s more like a novel – full of messy, complicated characters who hurt each other without meaning to, who break their own hearts in the process of trying to protect themselves, who stumble and fall and get back up again, over and over, until they finally figure out what it means to truly care about someone.
It’s about people who are trying their best, who are terrified of being vulnerable, who push people away when they should be pulling them closer, and who sometimes make mistakes they can’t take back.
And when you’re the writer, you have the power to rewrite those messy, imperfect chapters. You have the power to give people the grace you once withheld, to see the good in the ones you once called villains, to let go of the need for neat, tidy endings, and to embrace the beautiful, chaotic, unpredictable nature of real life.
Maybe the people who hurt us weren’t villains at all. Maybe they were just as scared as we were, just as unsure, just as lost. Maybe they were doing the best they could with what they had, even if their best wasn’t enough.
And maybe the real growth comes when you stop trying to cast yourself as the innocent one, the one who got hurt, the one who deserved better, and start seeing yourself as just another messy, imperfect character in a much bigger story.
Maybe the real power lies in letting go of the need for heroes and villains, in embracing the gray areas, in accepting that sometimes, the people who hurt you are just people – flawed, scared, stumbling through their own chaos, and trying to figure it out as they go.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s the kind of story worth telling – one without clear-cut endings, without perfect love stories, without neatly resolved conflicts, but full of growth, grace, and the messy, beautiful, unpredictable process of becoming whole again.
Because when you’re the writer, you don’t have to settle for a sad ending. You can choose to see the good in people, to rewrite the chapters that hurt, and to keep going, even when the plot gets a little chaotic.
And maybe that’s the real happily ever after – not the perfect love story, but the courage to keep writing, even when the ending is uncertain.
More of Ry:
Rylin Rossano is a health and wellness podcaster, yoga instructor, and content creator passionate about making wellness accessible. She operates under the handle @rylinrosee on Instagram.
In addition to her main account, Rylin manages @recipesbyry, where she shares her love for food, wellness, and body positivity. She also hosts the podcast “Take Care of Your Body by Ry”, discussing topics related to health, nutrition, and personal growth.
For more insights into her journey and mission, you can read her interview in Bold Journey Magazine.
