The wind does not break the tree that bends." Getting laid off isn’t just a career event, t’s a rupture. One moment you’re contributing, the next you’re silenced, as if someone pressed mute on your purpose. But even in that quiet, something deeper stirs. This piece isn’t about “bouncing back.” It’s about bending, grieving, and finding the seed after the fall. It’s a reminder that you are not the title you held, but the rhythm you carry, one that no layoff can erase.