They think you’re coming back as the same person.
But travel changes you in quiet, invisible ways.

It’s not just the stamps on your passport.
It’s the silence you now enjoy.
The way you pause before answering questions.
The way your heart softens or hardens in unfamiliar places.

You come back
and your favorite food doesn’t taste the same.
The noise in your city feels louder.
The small things people complain about 
they don’t hit the same anymore.

Because now,
you’ve seen how big the world is.
You’ve had to start over.
You’ve felt lonely,
but you’ve also found peace in your own company.

You’ve learned that comfort is not a right 
it’s a privilege.
And that sometimes,
growth only happens far from home.

So when people say,
“You’ve changed.”
Smile.
Because you have.

You left for a trip,
but returned with a mirror.

And the person you see in it now?
Stronger.
Quieter.
Wiser.
And more ready for whatever comes next.