Healing Arts

You have all the space in the world to be who you are, to express what you feel, and to act as you will.

All the space in the world.

It’s just a matter of recognizing it, accepting it, and taking responsibility for the choices you make.

Embrace life. It’s yours and only you can decide how to live it.

In this moment, I choose how I will be.  I choose my responses, design my behavior and create my actions.

In this moment, the vastness of space is mine, and I am in the center.

Keep yourself safe, express your needs clearly, protect what you deem is love – no matter how hard someone pushes or pulls.

Be strong enough to say no.

And gentle enough to say yes.

Design my intent - photo by Haider Mirza

He knocked on my door and strode in, least expected.

Then again, on second thought. Perhaps I had invited him, wondering if he would come.

And if he did, how would he appear, his form and his manner – and what would his garb look like.

Would he sneak in, crawling through the cracks or would he enter gracefully, filling the room with his presence like an unfamiliar scent.

I recognized him immediately. He nodded and entered and seated himself before me, filling the space with his presence.

Like a gnawing in my abdomen.  The feeling like crows pecking at a loaf of bread, with their beaks shredding and pulling, dissecting, piece by piece.

Hello, come in, I am glad you came. The lessons you grace me with are indeed as invaluable as they are difficult to swallow.

Thank you for staying while I chew them over, I know I have made mistakes, for I am human, learning as I go along.

Regret - photo by Haider Mirza

I am fortitude not frailty, she said and smiled,

you cannot hurt me no matter how hard you tried.

You may anger me, enrage me, make me mad with your meanness.

But touch me deeply, in a place that’s flesh and bone -

You will never do that, as I am protected by my will and my wall.

I have my shield that repels the pain -

I will push you aside if you say a nasty word,

Break a promise and I will walk away,

Forget and forsake me, I will recoil and writhe.

I will not ask you for your care nor concern

And I will not seek for you may think that I am weak.

I am firm and far, you cannot reach me,  I step back.

I will reject you, hurl you, cast you aside -

If I show you my hurt will I crumble and fall?

What will become of the broken pieces of me?

I am scared, so frightened so small and so weak.

So I pretend that I bounce and bend but don’t break.

But I wish you could see, look closer, look deep.

I wish you could see the child in my soul.

And tell her to remove the stainless steel claws, and to loosen her stance that is ready to run.

Speak to her in gentle tones, ask her her worries, know her plans and her goals,

Speak to her in whispers while her hair you brush aside,

With your hand on her forehead, sit close and stay near…

As she closes her eyes and breathes and breathes.

Speak in whispers - photo by Stephanie Maxwell