The message appeared on my phone at exactly 2:13 a.m.
ACCESS DENIED.
I frowned and tried again.
Same message.
For years, I had used the same password for the online journal where I kept my thoughts, dreams, and memories. It was my private world, a place where I could say things I never said aloud.
I reset the password.
Still, no access.
Then an email arrived.
"You can no longer enter the person you used to be."
I stared at the screen, confused.
The sender had no name.
As I sat there, I began scrolling through old photos on my phone. Pictures of friendships that had ended, goals I had abandoned, and versions of myself I no longer recognized.
Suddenly, the message made sense.
Maybe some doors are meant to stay closed.
Maybe we are not supposed to keep revisiting old pain, old mistakes, and old memories.
Maybe "no access" is not always a punishment.
Sometimes it is permission to move forward.
I closed my laptop, smiled to myself, and went back to sleep.
