do not let them tell you how you feel,
do not let them tell you who you are
and who you have been.
do not let them reach beyond your ears
when they tell you that your voice
does not matter.
reverberate and resonate,
gently push their lies away
(this is an act of strength and resistance.
do not let them have your rage,
they aren’t worth even this).
do not let them tell you
that you aren’t capable of trust,
when they have yet to learn what trust means.
when they will never live
the life you’ve lived
and have never fought the battles
you have fought
to find people worthy of trust
and a life worth trusting.
but let yourself feel it all.
let yourself hate yourself for believing the lies,
for letting them make you small,
for letting them take effect.
let yourself feel the loss,
grieve the loss of your innocence and trust,
your loss of sense and safety over the shock
of what happens when
one’s own pain lashes out at another.
let yourself feel the pain and heartache
over what could’ve been in a kind and loving world.
let yourself cry out over the disappointment and devastation of it all.
but even through it all, and because of it, not despite it all,
could I wrap my arms around you and tell you,
You are good. could I lay your tired head into my lap
and brush your hair. could I hold you as your tears flow
like river waters and tell you, I love you.
I love you for trying.
For being. For believing. For living through all of it.
I love you when you love yourself.
I love you when you hate yourself for not being able to love yourself.
I love you for your tears so warm and your laughter warmer.
I love you so much my heart pounds for you,
for all that you hold within you, for all you shoulder upon you,
for every weight under you, for every limit placed before you.
I love you for the freedom in you,
crackling like lightning, slicing through.
I love you for failing, for falling, for fearing.
I love you for every step you take,
because the journey requires failing,
falling, and constant fearing.
I love you for the courage in you,
for loving through every fear.
