she stares in the mirror

and sees all of her fears, rejection, abandonment, and loneliness

trying to crawl out of her skin

trying to swat them away like flys over fruit

shsh, she whispers

you’re beautiful in your own skin

even when the consequences of not living up to your own expectations of your life feel high

LIVE she screams

LIVE

enter the forest at night when the moon is still high and the stars are shining bright

grab my hand

lets walk together

even though it’s dark

honour your bravery on your shoulders

carry it like a gift in your pocket

yet to be opened

patiently waiting in anticipation for you to open it

knowing full well

you have all of the answers inside of you already

and the clock keeps ticking

on and on and on

time waits for no one

what you are going to do with your time

what will you do with your time

protect it with your life as a living landscape

a testament

a bibe verse

a principle

to my life

well lived

and time well spent

in peace, love, and contentment

out of the corner of my eye

keeping my trauma, grief, and pain on a shelf in glass jars with wooden lids as reminders

she reaches out her hand and guides me back through the forest

i know the way, i say

so we make our way together

out into the sunshine

time and life is precious

live it now

live it now

live it now

my sunshine girl

at long last i arrive home, tired, but full

i tuck myself into bed and sleep deeply

knowing that at the end of the day

i hold my own bones,

always.

-m