Onward

A poem

Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

When your heart is hurting, and
when your faith is lacking, and
when you’re not sure how to keep
breathing, or blinking, or putting
one foot in front of the other,
I hope you stop for a second…

…and breathe.

Breathe and let your lungs fill
with air. Breathe, and let yourself
slow down so that you may hear
the sound of your own heartbeat,
a beautiful, beating, glorious sign
that reminds you that you’re still
here.

You’re still here — despite the hurt
and the heartache and the gaping
hole that’s within your chest.

You’re still here.

You’re still here, and you can walk
this pain. Walk slowly if you must,
walk quickly if you prefer, run if that’s
what you need to do, but keep your
sights set on the next minute, and
the next hour, and the next day, and
the next day after that.

Onward, sweet soul. Onward.