Poetry as Healer

This poem is the result of a day at the office when I had just had it. It was a day when I had reached one of the lowest points during the two and a half years of major changes and challenges in my life.

I had to decide that day to sink or swim. I was weary from the struggles of trying to remain positive. The activities of the day had been riddled with disrespectful people, acting rude and unprofessional.

I was tired of the non-verbal fights—being ignored and pretending that I didn’t see, hear or know what was going on.

So I took flight. I knew I needed to spend time alone with my God. It was in that time of despair that I was able to come to grips with my reality and was able to gain some new understanding about myself.

Through meditation and writing, I expanded my insight into the rights and responsibilities of any relationship.

There are always new and different choices, some we never knew we had, some we were just afraid to use.

Growing

Armed with both humility and arrogance today,
I had to choose quickly how minutely I would view you.

To what size in my mind I would shrink you
in order to render you powerless in my world.

I needed to feel safe from your mood slides and toxic behavior.

After wrestling with my truths and getting in touch with my reality,
I decided that I did not need to make you anything.
You are already who you are.

Rather, I needed to keep my distance
and understand that none of your choices belong to me.

On this day, I chose to count my blessings
and use my energy more productively.

Removing myself from the premises,
I took a ride down a gravel road nearby.
It was spring.