There is a common lie that time fixes everything. That if enough days go by, the hurt will fade and the issue will dissolve. But let’s be honest. Time passing is not the same as healing, and it definitely is not an apology.

Some people cause harm and disappear. They go silent, thinking distance will erase what they did. Then they reappear with smiles, small talk, and assumptions that everything is fine now simply because time has moved on.

But silence is not healing. Disappearing is not growth. Time passing is not accountability.

If you hurt someone, the clock does not erase the impact. Only responsibility, acknowledgment, and change can do that. And if someone hurt you, they do not get to skip the work of repair just because it has been a few weeks, months, or even years.

Let’s make it clear.
Time passing does not mean you have to welcome someone back.
It does not mean you have to pretend it never happened.
It does not mean you owe anyone closure they were never brave enough to give.

Your healing is yours. Your boundaries are real. You can move forward without re-opening a chapter that never ended with truth. You can forgive in your heart and still protect your peace. You can release the pain and still choose to never allow that energy back in.

When people return with no apology, no reflection, and no changed behavior, they are not coming back for healing. They are coming back for access. And you get to decide what stays closed.

Time passed is not an apology.
Protect your peace. Keep your power. Move on in truth.