tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26035884893331519102024-03-13T05:19:28.719-07:00Lines on a page...A journal of sorts through the story of a broken heart, a life forever changed, and perhaps the way I found myself again....only the words will tell the tale.aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.comBlogger507125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-73975449963343054522024-02-18T16:54:00.000-08:002024-02-18T16:54:35.056-08:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And now at the
end of a story that probably never should have been told, I am left with the
anger of allowing myself to become less for you. I knew you would never choose
me or make me a priority in your life. You say all the pretty words and smile
and your eyes sparkle and I just roll over. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the very
beginning, I should have stood my ground, I should have walked away until you were
willing to respect the boundary that I asked you for. We were electric together,
something I had truly never experienced before. It was hard to say no…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I told you back
then, lessening this while we wait for you to make your decisions will harm us.
Boundaries and physical limitations will destroy what we have. You didn’t
believe me, and now here we are. Five years later, I am a shell and before the
dust even settled on us, you are on to someone else.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There were so
many times, I should have walked away…to be honest, I tried. Always you would
pull me back and we would try again. How many times did we do this? I watched
you lie to your family and friends about who I was and who we were to each other.
Looking back now, maybe it wasn’t a lie to you. I never would have imagined
having to try and process you being so quickly involved with someone else…yet
again, here we are. The really fucked up thing is this…less than a week ago,
you told me you would let her go. It didn’t really feel right, you said. Then I
am bombarded by social media posts of you and her and well, a picture is worth
a thousand words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This story is
so long and so broken and sad but today I am just feeling like a fool for
believing you. Three days ago, we shared a joyful day, so intimate and warm. You
held my hand as we walked around town and just took in the day. The next day,
and the next and now today, you won’t answer my calls. I know where you are and
what you are doing. My question is simply this…Why don’t you just tell me that
there is no chance of us ever being together again? Why are you fucking with my
heart and my very fragile soul in this way??? Why lead me on?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I know I’m not
perfect and that we had a lot of things to work on but the simplicity of that
fact that you just wouldn’t commit is the core of all of my frustration and
anger. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hate that the
one person in the world that I believed would never hurt me is now a stranger
to me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-79033732567449690902021-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:002021-12-30T05:56:11.328-08:00enough<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUej44iNRFkUgGwAub_chJa6FSjCENUep43lp9fSu7tUdf-Y2vV7yPvaiI_h3ENwGqJGeQ1NFpwRq17U2cdrbccJImlj6hV6wKCv8F6bRqCLgitgAY9HGRxiIqAcpNSyfUpnqAVmIToLN1AFgg3ZCJ0aCj-aWVjBxk-nSioG0mYPkcgDSY2zaoPzTA=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUej44iNRFkUgGwAub_chJa6FSjCENUep43lp9fSu7tUdf-Y2vV7yPvaiI_h3ENwGqJGeQ1NFpwRq17U2cdrbccJImlj6hV6wKCv8F6bRqCLgitgAY9HGRxiIqAcpNSyfUpnqAVmIToLN1AFgg3ZCJ0aCj-aWVjBxk-nSioG0mYPkcgDSY2zaoPzTA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I can’t sleep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">my heart races wildly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ticking off the moments <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">to its pounding beats<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I can’t catch my breath<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am sitting still<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but feel as if I am moving<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">faster than my feet could ever go<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I cry randomly and often<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in front of groups of people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">or as I now lie here<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">so utterly alone<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I miss every beautiful moment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that I ever spent with you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in the comfort of your gaze<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in the warmth of your arms<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am broken now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">beaten, exhausted and holding on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">by a single thread<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that is tethered to nothing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am fragile and afraid <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">because in this moment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I realize how truly alone<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> you love me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I love you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but now I remember you once said<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">love just isn’t enough<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I argued the point<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">so foolishly I held to my belief<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that love would light our way<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">love is simply a foundation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the commitment to build<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that love into a lifetime<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">is where the beauty lies<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the hard work, the blood,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the sweat, the tears<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and the joy as you watch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">your labor become your life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">us against the world<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">you and me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but for us there is only you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and there is only me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">your path and your dream<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">is an open road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">for too long<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">you were tethered in place<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I found myself wanting<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">to be here building<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">forming the structure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that would frame our life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I want connection and a home<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and a love within those walls<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought we shared that dream<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but I realize now that my voice<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">was the one narrating this tale<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and that in your silence<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I never heard you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I should have listened <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">to what the silence said<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but I always got so lost<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in the way you looked at me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I got lost in the way you held my hand<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and the way you touched me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as if you just couldn’t believe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that I was real<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but I am real and we were real<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I just don’t think that you ever truly believed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that we could have had a life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that would have lasted forever<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-79095667725987352142021-09-30T07:16:00.002-07:002021-09-30T07:16:30.529-07:00Wholly Loved<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXQ8curOSnQ/YVXGRpe4NHI/AAAAAAAABrE/4UDgqM4ibEoIJEs9sQ19UVX7iKlmU3HggCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/opening%2Bdoors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXQ8curOSnQ/YVXGRpe4NHI/AAAAAAAABrE/4UDgqM4ibEoIJEs9sQ19UVX7iKlmU3HggCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/opening%2Bdoors.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the moment you finally realize<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that you deserve as much as you give<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the patterns fall into shape<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">like puzzle pieces<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">forming connecting lines<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">above your head<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see tears and cuts and scrapes and scars<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see rivulets of blood<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see thousands of unanswered questions<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">nights lying awake in the dark<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see wishes wished, dreams dreamt<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see promises made in vain<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see the terror of being left alone<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and the sacrifices made<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see a lonely little girl<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">who tells herself stories of fairy tales<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and a woman who simply can’t understand<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that dreams don’t always come true<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see a woman who crawled to the edge of her hell<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and walked out on the other side<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">who can still so easily forget<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">what it is that keeps her alive<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I see her blindly protecting <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the heart of the little girl<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the one that never stops wishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to one day be wholly loved<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">today I remembered that half of nothing<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">leaves you nothing at all<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and giving away the pieces of me<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">allows me to disappear<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">like a ghost I’ve hovered on the edges<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">of a story that may never be told<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">watching from the shadows<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">waiting to be written in<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">like a thief in the night I covet<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">what never belonged to me<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">with poison on my tongue<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">speaking other’s names<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">it’s better to live alone<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">than in the loneliness of a lie<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I whisper the words to myself <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">that I deserve to be wholly loved<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p>
</p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-57521570144703244792021-01-05T19:47:00.000-08:002021-01-05T19:47:07.088-08:00Seedling<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQKUWCo7nn4/X_Ux3yJbGgI/AAAAAAAABlE/TdSHXp-yvs8XZDYBSaX9P7aKrhtcJcQpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/seek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQKUWCo7nn4/X_Ux3yJbGgI/AAAAAAAABlE/TdSHXp-yvs8XZDYBSaX9P7aKrhtcJcQpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/seek.JPG" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I watch her as she continues to become<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she cries and bleeds and tears herself in two<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she is trying to heal the wounds of her own pain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and trying to make amends for the things she has done<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">no one is born knowing all of the rules<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">strong and self-assured at every turn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">each tiny seedling springs up from the dirt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">simply trying to get closer to the sun<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have listened to every word that falls from her lips<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have wiped the tears that flow from her bright blue eyes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have heard the whispers late into the night<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and heard her beg for something to ease her pain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she has lived in a world filled with regret and shame<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and martyred herself time and time again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">yet still she gives and loves and tries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">so hard sometimes it defines who she is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5x0dcenDgY/X_UyOHNUCsI/AAAAAAAABlM/r5GFF1oKaoUtWRQyRNwLrqFlxU-Z_FRwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s631/sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="631" height="183" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5x0dcenDgY/X_UyOHNUCsI/AAAAAAAABlM/r5GFF1oKaoUtWRQyRNwLrqFlxU-Z_FRwwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h183/sky.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">it is shockingly simple to see her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she has nothing left to hide<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she wears her happy and sad<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">like the bright red heart on her sleeve<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she is raw and overwhelmed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">by the intensity of what she feels<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she is child-like and ancient<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">all at the same time<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">there is one thing I believe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as I watch this beautiful girl<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">through this perilous journey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she will reveal the strength she holds<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she is pure and she is honest<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and she is fighting for her life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">she is my hero <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and I believe completely in her</span><o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mtj7B3leMxY/X_Uyjv-zwCI/AAAAAAAABlU/2JaIfHq0FkUogWxeetw-kQR7evZ047loACLcBGAsYHQ/s1292/bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mtj7B3leMxY/X_Uyjv-zwCI/AAAAAAAABlU/2JaIfHq0FkUogWxeetw-kQR7evZ047loACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bloom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-17508691169362783312020-12-21T12:17:00.004-08:002020-12-21T12:19:18.826-08:00When She Isn't With Me<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNU0VylmCUs/X-EClY-ROOI/AAAAAAAABkg/4XN-e5pHGEMIVtZg-2-mTu8IALXlJ1XgACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/sunrise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNU0VylmCUs/X-EClY-ROOI/AAAAAAAABkg/4XN-e5pHGEMIVtZg-2-mTu8IALXlJ1XgACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sunrise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel unwhole<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">like a part of me has ceased<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and it’s hard to breathe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the aloneness takes shape<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">like something that has a
pulse<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">all its own<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I miss her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">three simple words<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that define this feeling in
me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel empty<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">like this aching will never<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ever again feel whole<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">it’s darker<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I spend my time<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">waiting for the sun to rise<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel the winter chill<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and I shiver at the deepest
core<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">of my soul<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I try to remember <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">every moment I have ever<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">shared with her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">when she isn’t with me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I pray<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that I will always treasure<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the moments I have with her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><br /><p></p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-27917360612795812802020-11-16T19:18:00.000-08:002020-11-16T19:18:08.219-08:00Our Rainbow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bTuNClFVw/X7NARg4Cc1I/AAAAAAAABjg/_Y3mjgh15XMztX0h6OSe18cCxSxPrCafQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/little%2Bgay%2Btree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bTuNClFVw/X7NARg4Cc1I/AAAAAAAABjg/_Y3mjgh15XMztX0h6OSe18cCxSxPrCafQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/little%2Bgay%2Btree.JPG" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she says it’s hard for her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">that it’s just not who she
is<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she says she’s not romantic<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">but look at this girl of
mine<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can hear her shifting and
shuffling<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">up to some secret task<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">then she leads me down the
staircase<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">to a rainbow in the dark<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">her face lit up in the
glowing lights<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and my heart skips a beat<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">this sweet angel of mine<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">the most beautiful thing I‘ve
ever seen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can see she’s pulled the rug
up<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">off the kitchen floor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she starts the music and pulls
me close<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and we dance across the room<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">swaying slowly as one<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and sprinkled between each
kiss<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she sings softly in my ear<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">of the treasure found in
love<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I feel the heat on her skin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and the gentleness of her
touch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">yet she holds me with a
strength<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">so sure of her love for me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she is learning to trust in
us<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">learning to believe in love<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">she is becoming fearless<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">in showing me her heart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">standing in the light of her
gaze<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">her affection drenching me<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">is like reaching the end of
the rainbow<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and finding the pot of gold<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><br /><p></p>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-54760211070798649252020-06-13T08:35:00.001-07:002020-06-13T08:36:14.261-07:00Published!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hj7bU16q720/XuTxoBE5uDI/AAAAAAAABgo/wVyYhpLnYmowgxJmKNVyNuQp1zL-Ho48gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Etched%2Bcover%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hj7bU16q720/XuTxoBE5uDI/AAAAAAAABgo/wVyYhpLnYmowgxJmKNVyNuQp1zL-Ho48gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Etched%2Bcover%2B2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, I've finally done it!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is my first collection of poetry. It's been years in the making and now these pieces are all together in one place. It's such a strange feeling to see it, hold it in my hands. Amazing!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is available through Amazon if you are interested.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-51696403902764013032020-05-13T04:36:00.000-07:002020-05-13T04:36:21.301-07:00Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rmn-DOIwdkg/XrvbZQVTyuI/AAAAAAAABf4/lF8jSkSoG5oRSrttNf0r3VQsTsw-OgczgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rmn-DOIwdkg/XrvbZQVTyuI/AAAAAAAABf4/lF8jSkSoG5oRSrttNf0r3VQsTsw-OgczgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Home.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the
sweetest moments </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">are the
simplest things</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">they
require nothing more</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">than me
and you, you and me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I sit
beside you, holding you</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">your head
against my chest</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">you tell
me you can hear my heartbeat</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">that it
could lull you to sleep</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the
softness of your skin</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the
tenderness in your eyes</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the sound
that surrounds your laughter</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">is music
in my ears</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">time with
you is healing </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">it
rejuvenates my soul</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I feel
myself filling up</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I begin to
overflow</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the
feelings are wild and rampant</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">running up
and down my chest</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a heightened
state of being</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">from
simply being, with you</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">what we
share defies explanation</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">though the
words flow constantly over me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">trust and
love, reverence and respect</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">here
everything is complete</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">we talk
about love, we talk about life</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">we share
happiness and pain</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">tears and
laughter in the very same breath</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">this is
the life we share</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">from one
moment to the next</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">we don’t
skip a single beat</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">connected
through the thread</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">that has
tied you to me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I lie back
and pull you over</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the full
weight of your body on mine</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">we fit together
seamlessly</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">this
connection brought me to life</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am awed
at the way you listen to me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the way
you notice every detail</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">you say “I
don’t think you’ve ever been loved</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">like this,
by anyone before”</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">my Sweet
Girl, the truth in that</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">has
changed everything that I am</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and every
day I joyfully become</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a better
version of me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I don’t
know where this road will take us</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I don’t
know who we will become</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">but I know
that I get to walk beside you</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and that
this is our way home</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-70322338193781095742020-04-30T18:33:00.001-07:002020-04-30T18:38:35.844-07:00Of your mother...To a daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3-8OHisyk4/Xqt8L3hGmRI/AAAAAAAABeM/2jdQeEXk8U8G84VbsW-HLEZLsiE6gaoigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dandelion%2Bgirls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3-8OHisyk4/Xqt8L3hGmRI/AAAAAAAABeM/2jdQeEXk8U8G84VbsW-HLEZLsiE6gaoigCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dandelion%2Bgirls.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she loves you with an intensity</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">that she does not know how to express</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she only wanted a life for you</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">that she never had for herself</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she overprotected and she projected</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">all of her wants and needs</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she did not know or understand </span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">that she was mourning what she never had</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she wanted you to shine so bright</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">the beauty of you makes her weak</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she wanted to see you succeed</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">in ways that she never did</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">if you heard her tell the story of you</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">you’d be stunned at the depth of her words</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">or watched the tears as they roll down her face</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">as she judges her own mistakes</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">she watches you now from a distance</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">even when you are in the same room</span></span></b></div>
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<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">wishing she knew how to bridge the gap</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">between where the two of you stand</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">there has been so much hurt, so much pain</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">and both of you know how it feels</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">to miss someone so much that is feels as if</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">part of you has been taken away</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">a mother, a daughter, love and hate</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">an intensity no one else understands</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">with soaring highs and searing lows</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">life rarely exists in between</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">in the breath of one single heartbeat</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">in the adult, mother still sees her child</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">and through the daughter’s eyes</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">mother will always remain in her role</span></span></b></div>
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<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">what both of them wish and long for</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">will elude them until they can see</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">that they are both simply and perfectly</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cavolini";"><span style="font-size: large;">beautiful human beings</span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-76419062146614236112020-04-15T05:47:00.004-07:002020-04-15T05:49:25.148-07:00Stride ~ the idioms<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcN74wMD3oM/XpcAkReQ7AI/AAAAAAAABdI/zGV352kedrkcGY-Otpy7xC57yE3wL2e9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stride%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">~to hit one's stride~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">each day with intent</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">forging a path to somewhere</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">preparing and plotting a course</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">then literally setting out on foot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">stretch and warm the muscles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">tighten the strings on my shoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the lean slightly forward</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and begin with the first step</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the breeze against my face</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the rhythmic sound of my feet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">is becoming a soundtrack of motion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the only thing accompanying me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as muscles start to burn</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and breath strains in my lungs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I focus all of my thoughts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and stride and breath become one</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">standing tall, shoulders back</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">deep and full inhale</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">exhale hard, making room</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">for new air to fill my lungs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">speed is not of any note</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as I face a steep incline</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">distance is the measure</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as I lean into the hill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">at the precipice a sharp inhale</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the path before me levels out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">my steps propel me forward</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and I find a steady stride</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">~to take it in stride~</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">practice daily, center yourself</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with intent and an
earnest plan</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">read and pray and focus</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and then open your eyes to see</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">train your body, train your mind</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">feed your spirit and your soul</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">relish the ache that you feel in both</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as the dormant parts of you wake</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">open your eyes with possibility</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">this is the first time this moment has ever been</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">before the weight of the world descends</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">revel in the simple joys</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">sunrise, singing birds, the quiet of your mind</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the simplicity of your soul</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the moments before the world awakes</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">there is plenty of time each day</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to feel what life will present</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to find the appropriate reactions</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and make the required change</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but in the first moments of morning</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in the first breaths you breathe</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">steel yourself with the strength </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the take the day in stride</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOgEgDwGRzw/XpcCaXquIII/AAAAAAAABdc/KL3EkBWvpgI7ZDTUJJSrJVYL5liiAsRIACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stride%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="640" height="218" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOgEgDwGRzw/XpcCaXquIII/AAAAAAAABdc/KL3EkBWvpgI7ZDTUJJSrJVYL5liiAsRIACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Stride%2B3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
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<b></b><i></i><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-44148500705843313012020-04-09T04:46:00.002-07:002020-04-09T04:47:20.621-07:00Seeking Normal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unWrWOSW2OY/Xo8KaFkmYQI/AAAAAAAABck/8WXiTEpdeSMXacljqnsZKvyzX40MpMdJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unWrWOSW2OY/Xo8KaFkmYQI/AAAAAAAABck/8WXiTEpdeSMXacljqnsZKvyzX40MpMdJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bed.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">last
night I was afraid of the dark</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of the
shadows across the hall</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I lay
in bed with covers pulled high</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
waited for them to leave</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
haven’t felt this in quite some time</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
know what it all means</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that I
feel a sense of loneliness</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
wants to consume me whole</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I heard
sounds that weren’t there</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">clicks
and clacks in the night</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and I
couldn’t find the comfort</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
usually rocks me to sleep</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">short
and restless bouts </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">mixed
with time spent too awake</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
night stretched on and on</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">until
the final dream came</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">this
one was chaotic</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">it was
filled with panic and angst</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with
things that wouldn’t fit into boxes</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
time kept slipping away</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">bad
dreams and fear</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">tales
that I know all too well</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m
trying hard to cling to things</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
keep me tethered to the ground</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">nothing
is normal anymore</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">nothing
feels the same</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">time is
stretching out endlessly</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to days
that never come</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">calendars
flip of their own accord</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
there is nothing to hold on to</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
world is turning upside down</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
clock just ticks and ticks</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I need some
sort of resolution</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">something
familiar to ground me again</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">out of
sorts and feeling alone</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and I’m
afraid of the dark again</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">so I
wake up today and make my bed</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can
only control myself </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">my
actions and my reactions</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
everything else will be</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">one
foot in front of the other</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">one
step, one day at a time</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and I
pray for the strength to see</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and maybe I’ll sleep with
the light on tonight</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elshB8j-bnU/Xo8LCE-vzoI/AAAAAAAABcs/PMHAiCDpE4ELPT9AX0cF276EFFYcPCJewCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/one%2Bday%2Bat%2Ba%2Btime.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elshB8j-bnU/Xo8LCE-vzoI/AAAAAAAABcs/PMHAiCDpE4ELPT9AX0cF276EFFYcPCJewCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/one%2Bday%2Bat%2Ba%2Btime.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-21101716617464177572020-03-31T07:28:00.001-07:002020-03-31T07:37:00.912-07:00Noise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsJIaYeEMyk/XoNQIK-EL8I/AAAAAAAABbE/mQvqJ-useDoeRuThSDZczd1wvjnBtBkAACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sounds%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsJIaYeEMyk/XoNQIK-EL8I/AAAAAAAABbE/mQvqJ-useDoeRuThSDZczd1wvjnBtBkAACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/sounds%2B1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">it’s
interesting to notice</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
difference in how things sound</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the way
words bounce off walls</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the way
they ring in your ears</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I know
the way addiction sounds</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve
written line after line </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve
assembled strings of words</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">describing
how it feels to be bound <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-VwM6YDyI8/XoNQjXBKx5I/AAAAAAAABbM/X0Qd4fl4uKc9-KPsQ04UUgkeq0Zb_hBzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sounds%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="514" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-VwM6YDyI8/XoNQjXBKx5I/AAAAAAAABbM/X0Qd4fl4uKc9-KPsQ04UUgkeq0Zb_hBzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sounds%2B4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
sound can be almost deafening</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
some days it all goes black</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
edges sharp and jagged</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">scraping
against the skin</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in the
rivulets of pain</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that flow
from open wounds</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">streaming
sanguine rivers</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
simply trickle away</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">silence
screams louder</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">than
any sound ever could</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">through
pacing and internal combustion</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
skin that doesn’t fit</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mI-q_TK7osM/XoNRHuI9kaI/AAAAAAAABbY/zpsz4vC0gmcNe9yX-UNN6IQDK5EK1k3lQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sounds%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="640" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mI-q_TK7osM/XoNRHuI9kaI/AAAAAAAABbY/zpsz4vC0gmcNe9yX-UNN6IQDK5EK1k3lQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sounds%2B3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve
run so far and so fast</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to keep
the sounds at bay</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve
run so long that I’ve forgotten</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">what
the voices need to say</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">yesterday
the words</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">came in
short and fast clips</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">broken
sentences abbreviated</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">language,
a foreign thing</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">tears
fueled by anger </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">by
frustration, pain, angst</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
orchestra of cacophony </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">sang a
song I know so well</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
overwhelming feeling</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of
being sick of myself</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">ran
like a loop through my mind</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">for the
entire length of the day</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">short
reprieves in love</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
kindness of strangers, now friends</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">softened
the edges just enough </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">so the
clock continued to move</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKYQ6i9fluU/XoNSqKYW0aI/AAAAAAAABbw/hhph08cKKb4uVw25BnXK016AQxfPBS1KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/caution.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKYQ6i9fluU/XoNSqKYW0aI/AAAAAAAABbw/hhph08cKKb4uVw25BnXK016AQxfPBS1KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/caution.JPG" width="278" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">digging
deep into the muck</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to climb up out of the mire</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">begging
into the vast unknown</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that I
see what I need to see</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with
eyes swollen and burning</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with a
heart bleeding out on the floor</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">my
knees becoming calloused</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from
humbling myself here</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am
fighting for my life, it seems</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a war I
cannot lose</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with an
urgency the battles rage</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">my will
screams in pain</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_qw88pMEDA/XoNTCnS1i7I/AAAAAAAABb8/e1V-AQf4TdQ9oDoaRxBsk9LOCqamUMj9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sounds%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="640" height="168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_qw88pMEDA/XoNTCnS1i7I/AAAAAAAABb8/e1V-AQf4TdQ9oDoaRxBsk9LOCqamUMj9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sounds%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with
every victory, white flags wave</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in the
quiet aftermath</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and I
revel in the awe of the silence</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and how
different the calm sounds</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-81714916094208728912020-03-30T07:45:00.002-07:002020-03-30T07:45:22.075-07:00Balance - A Tightrope Walk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJOBgfsvFII/XoIFQl30yiI/AAAAAAAABak/GhXDXMidlY4rYZ6cp2SXNfr4vVjLGzeBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/path%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJOBgfsvFII/XoIFQl30yiI/AAAAAAAABak/GhXDXMidlY4rYZ6cp2SXNfr4vVjLGzeBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/path%2B1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
hallmark of days such as this</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">lined
up on two different planes</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
idea of a parallel universe</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">never
more evident than this</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">does
one exist before the other</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">or are
they born at the same time</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">one
came in like breathing</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
other came with intent</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in learning
to be patient and listen</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and to
give emotions names</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">awareness
is like a living thing</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
also inhabits this space</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in the
midst of all of this emptiness</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can
feel the crowd in my room</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">it is
feeling suddenly uncomfortable</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as if
there is not enough space</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">feeling
the need to bolt</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">feeling
the need to break</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">listening
into the emptiness</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">naming
those gathering here</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">all of
the familiar guests</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">loneliness,
frustration and fear</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">everything
feels the same</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">yet the
shift has announced itself</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">upon
arrival it shakes the room</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">knocking
everything to the floor</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">rattling
foundations, still not secure</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">wreaking
havoc in this place</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">searching
for the structural pieces</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
connect to form a frame</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
solidity rooted in the building</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
unshakeable nature of being</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">there
is a buzzing sound this morning</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a
chainsaw against a tree</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but the
birds are still taking twigs to the nest</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
realize they can’t hear a thing</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from
the parallel plane that exists within</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can
see through to the other side</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I sit
and watch in awe</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as the
world simply continues to move</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">it’s
kind of like walking a tightrope</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">inhabiting
two places at once</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
balance can be a fleeting thing</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as it
takes so much focus to maintain</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">so
inevitably there will come a point</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">where I
will tip to either side</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
then will come the answer to which came first</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">what
could be or what has always been</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UPSgVJQQ-0Y/XoIF3Q9maCI/AAAAAAAABas/zAREn0WHZcswkiCMSOli5oJgRCeMkIqgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/path%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UPSgVJQQ-0Y/XoIF3Q9maCI/AAAAAAAABas/zAREn0WHZcswkiCMSOli5oJgRCeMkIqgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/path%2B2.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-15798690899323270842020-03-29T05:27:00.002-07:002020-03-29T05:27:20.344-07:00You Are My Sunshine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5cRWy_AWjMo/XoCTz_1FCzI/AAAAAAAABaA/CEFYSvwVl1wDl4bHSYf3EvLCpaLZh_QuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/my%2Bsunshine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5cRWy_AWjMo/XoCTz_1FCzI/AAAAAAAABaA/CEFYSvwVl1wDl4bHSYf3EvLCpaLZh_QuACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/my%2Bsunshine.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“you
are my sunshine…”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
words of that simple tune</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">turn
over and over in my mind</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a song
that has been sung countless times</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
still in my ears it feels new</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
magical feeling washing over me</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">has me
seeing life for the first time</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">through
the eyes of a child, those wiser now</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
this innocence is filled with delight</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
vacillate between these emotions</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">this
roller coaster ride</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">between
this ache in my heart from missing you</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
joy that I have you to miss</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I spend
so much time lately</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">feeling
simply stunned and amazed</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
this unbelievable gift I’ve been given</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">is
truly mine to hold</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
notice how often my hands shake</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
flutter within my heart</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the
strength that fills my soul</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">when I
hold you in my arms</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I wake
up early each morning</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
spend time in grateful thought</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">thankful
for the simple moments</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that I
get to spend with you</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">life is
filled with challenges </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">with
hills and mountains to climb</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">insurmountable
though it may seem at times</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I feel
you by my side</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">today
you are thousands of miles away</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but I know
the touch of your hand</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I know
the sound of your voice</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as it
whispers in my ear</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">so this
morning in quiet reflection</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am
celebrating you</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
love of my life, my beautiful girl</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am so
in love with you</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-30937841433906396012020-03-28T05:58:00.002-07:002020-03-28T05:58:26.050-07:00The Path<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tRoiYvEPr1M/Xn9Jnm4IreI/AAAAAAAABZo/IxBNosJXDIE5ZcEmQffCMZlk8SawDDXOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/crooked%2Bpath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tRoiYvEPr1M/Xn9Jnm4IreI/AAAAAAAABZo/IxBNosJXDIE5ZcEmQffCMZlk8SawDDXOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/crooked%2Bpath.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it’s not
an easy thing to do</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to simply
sit in the silence</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to let
feelings of discomfort</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hang on
you like a veil</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it’s
challenging at best</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to be
quiet in those moments</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and listen
with an open heart</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to any
answer that comes</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when the
feelings start to surface</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and the
churning within begins</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">frantic,
frenetic, kinetic</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the fork
in the road is here</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">down one
path is the inevitable</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">journey
into crazy</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in
patterns, fixations and habits</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the road
that has no end</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">obsessive,
compulsive, addictive</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">actions
that never resolve</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the record
continues to spin</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but the
song remains the same</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the other
path that awaits</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is the
road typically less taken</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it’s bumpy
with potholes and roadblocks</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and hard
to navigate</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">measured
steps are required</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">patience
and moving slow</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">open eyes and
listening</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to
maneuver this terrain</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it takes
time to travel this path</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it is not
familiar ground</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in trying
to rush to the end</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you will
surely slip and fall</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but I
believe there is something </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">et the end
of this winding road</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">something
worth discovering</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the proverbial
row to hoe</span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-7394861738828239192020-03-27T05:32:00.001-07:002020-03-27T05:32:25.893-07:00Today I Simply Pray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FN0R5HCjWTQ/Xn3x9jNIqJI/AAAAAAAABZI/wBJdI8FXZCAW-41ge5w5YJVxQbyde-lMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/church%2Btrees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="640" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FN0R5HCjWTQ/Xn3x9jNIqJI/AAAAAAAABZI/wBJdI8FXZCAW-41ge5w5YJVxQbyde-lMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/church%2Btrees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I never
knew how to pray</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to
surrender to what I cannot explain</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
believed that I was the only one</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">who
could dictate the way of my path</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I never
understood faith</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a
concept my mind could not bend</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
couldn’t make it fit in the boxes</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that I
compartmentalize in my head</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was
always the one to blame</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">when I
wrote the storyline</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And in
being the villain I glorified</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
right to ease my pain</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I hid
away in the darkened corners</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
drowned in a bottle of numb</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Slowly
dying from this self-imposed exile</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">yet
crying that I was alone</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
years, for nearly a lifetime</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was
simply waiting to die</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But I
think the reality was</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
couldn’t even commit to that</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’d
walk, even run, then trip and fall</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but the
circle always spun back</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To the
place where I would stare at myself</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and not
recognized my own face</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
staggering, stumbling, screaming</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
nonsense of drunken slurs</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
then the inevitable regret and remorse</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as the
circle spun again</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
inexorable end of this fabled tale</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">illuminated
by grace</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the light
of mercy and love</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
turned to find a blank page</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
morning is awake with sounds of hope</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">as the
world around me springs to life</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
open eyes I am humbled</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can
see the gift of this day</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The sun
will rise and then set again</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">regardless
of my taking note</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For a
lifetime I have taken for granted</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
wished every minute away</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today I
feel awake</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">today I
feel alive</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today I
want to feel the sun</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">warm
the surface of my skin</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I want
to let hope wash over me</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
fill me from within</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To let
light in through the cracks in the surface</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">where
darkness has always been</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhhKJzJjtQE/Xn3ySYM_YOI/AAAAAAAABZQ/bwyw_OW21A4wvD0ubct6Kc1RfuQGbxUXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/I%2Bprayed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhhKJzJjtQE/Xn3ySYM_YOI/AAAAAAAABZQ/bwyw_OW21A4wvD0ubct6Kc1RfuQGbxUXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/I%2Bprayed.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-71636748251035181632020-03-24T13:19:00.000-07:002020-03-24T13:19:41.332-07:00Serenity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGI5UoQcPQI/Xnpq11-XcEI/AAAAAAAABYw/C__rL3QPPBECADClS0u2ygNdFhufmHn4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/rainy%2Bsky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="640" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGI5UoQcPQI/Xnpq11-XcEI/AAAAAAAABYw/C__rL3QPPBECADClS0u2ygNdFhufmHn4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/rainy%2Bsky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">wondering
if I can run </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">faster
than the voices in my head</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">feeling
the pulsing and pounding</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
my heartbeat quickens as well</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am
trying to slow things down</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">trying
to let my breathing become even</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">trying
to let this churning feeling</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">settle
into a quiet hum</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">there
was a poke, skin pricked</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">a
scratch under the surface</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
now the wound is festering </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">infection
trying to set in</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
step outside into the rain</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">arms
and legs bare</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
I begin to move with intent</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">one
step at a time</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">at
first cold muscles start to scream</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">as
the aching needs to be heard</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">my
lungs choke on the chill in the air</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">but
I breathe through the burning in my chest</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">slow
and measured steps</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">breath
finding time with the pace</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">each
footfall pushing forward</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">propelling
me from this place</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">it’s
easy to just drop anchor</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
hunker down in the cold</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">wrapped
in cloaks of comforting warmth</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">as
you spiral down the hole</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">but
stripped half naked and soaked</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">as I
run for my life through the rain</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
can’t tell the difference between raindrops and tears</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">they
feel one and the same</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">the
sound of the rain is following me</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">like
footsteps on this path</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
the feeling that I am not out here alone</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">creeps
slowly up my back</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
look to the sky, the rain on my face</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
I feel the words pass my lips</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God,
grant me the serenity</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">to
accept what I cannot change</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-66223236754052371132020-03-23T03:52:00.000-07:002020-03-23T03:52:19.854-07:00Just Some Of The Things She Does<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GoZ4tE_Gpt8/XniUmnCz5rI/AAAAAAAABYY/wHXK4LVaBrg-jU4mUhTdE5zJOxizQ8uJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/post%2Bit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GoZ4tE_Gpt8/XniUmnCz5rI/AAAAAAAABYY/wHXK4LVaBrg-jU4mUhTdE5zJOxizQ8uJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/post%2Bit.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she believes in me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I’m not even sure I believe in
myself</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she sees me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when my eyes are blurred from crying
so many tears</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she hears me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when my screams are hidden behind a
wall of words</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she listens</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the things that I don’t have the guts
to say</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she cries</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I am weak and fall under the
pain</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she holds me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I falter, until I can stand
again</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she smiles</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">every single time she looks at me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she laughs</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">her infectious laugh at the silliest
of things </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she beams</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with pride at what we both are able
to do</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she whispers</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the things that she wants to be sure I
hear</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she pauses</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when she feels things getting away
from her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she giggles</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">because sometimes it’s simply all you
can do</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she dreams</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of forever and for always and maybe
just for today</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she comforts</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I am feeling tired and small and
worn</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she inspires</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when my darkness tries to get the best
of me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she loves me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and it makes me want to be a better
me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she loves me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and it makes me believe that I can do
anything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-88571765091407796162020-03-22T04:53:00.003-07:002020-03-22T04:53:46.317-07:00I Had It All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5WMT4o1wXA/XndRopKuB7I/AAAAAAAABYA/Tq5R4wnyacs4PT8Qh7trnJ3oxen1cSGHACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/river%2Brocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5WMT4o1wXA/XndRopKuB7I/AAAAAAAABYA/Tq5R4wnyacs4PT8Qh7trnJ3oxen1cSGHACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/river%2Brocks.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">staring at myself in the mirror</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hating everything I see</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the sober face of shame and regret</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the loss of all my dreams</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had it all, everything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I’ve gone and pissed it away</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for what, I can’t even tell you now</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">words just empty sounds</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel like there are two of me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the one sitting here and that other
one</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">they are strangers to each other</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but stranger still, is me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">feeling the complete loss of control</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">feeling pain I cannot describe</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">wishing I could simply turn back the
clock</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">knowing all that I cannot change</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this aloneness is killing and
crumbling me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my skin feels like some sort of cloak</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this thing that I have to carry
around</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to keep all the pain from spilling
out</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought I had this under control</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that I was somehow better than this</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but I sit in the palm of its outstretched
hand</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">waiting for the fist to clench</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had it all, I had everything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">just keeps playing over in my head</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and then the shame starts spiraling</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can’t stand the sight of myself</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to hide away in the dark</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but the sun is coming up as I write</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am terrified of being seen</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as my face tells all that I’ve done</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had it all, I had everything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had love and I had trust</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in one moment I threw it away</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and now I am left with myself</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she told me I was amazing</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she told me I was strong</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t know how she saw in me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">what I cannot find in myself</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it hurts so badly I feel paralyzed</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and so panicked I can’t sit still</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am spinning so savagely from within</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I have nowhere to go</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">all I want is to feel </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">some sort of internal peace</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">yet the silence never stops screaming
at me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it’s the only thing I can hear</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-18197149712417524682020-03-20T19:23:00.001-07:002020-03-20T19:26:08.260-07:00Increments - 30 days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tl5Te1qpTt0/XnV5sqRkglI/AAAAAAAABXU/mkHVsVccXzcej4Nlg7ABbxa9t0tdhQ5SQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/river%2Bcolor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tl5Te1qpTt0/XnV5sqRkglI/AAAAAAAABXU/mkHVsVccXzcej4Nlg7ABbxa9t0tdhQ5SQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/river%2Bcolor.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">measured moment by moment</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but praised by increments of time</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I wonder about the rigidity</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">because it doesn’t make sense to me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">slogans and phrases repeated</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">almost a mantra of shame</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the price of admission, surrender</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as if that erases the pain</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I sit here now in this moment</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the river still flowing past</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nothing remains, the world moves by</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">letting the silence seep in</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">feeling every feeling imaginable </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and still feeling nothing at all</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">this milestone, solitary</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">feeling like anything else</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">this is mine, this is for me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know and I understand </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I thought I would find some
connection</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a different kind of peace</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">30, 60, 90 days</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">will it ever feel different than this</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">just as I conquer everything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the forward steps never cease</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the river flows in ripples</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nothing disrupts its path</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">it may change its course or the
landscape</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but it will find a way</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I feel like the river today</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as 30 days trickle by</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the tiniest splash, imperceptible
sound</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and the water is flowing again</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KbDf0liSHbY/XnV6VKOFViI/AAAAAAAABXc/DsU_M7cnOoY8VMsZcOhxElfdn_4UZrTigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/river%2Bbw%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KbDf0liSHbY/XnV6VKOFViI/AAAAAAAABXc/DsU_M7cnOoY8VMsZcOhxElfdn_4UZrTigCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/river%2Bbw%2B2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-7880815248123992842020-03-07T09:03:00.000-08:002020-03-07T09:03:15.961-08:00Mercy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3ufmPSk64k/XmPTSD_v0fI/AAAAAAAABWw/8tGW84f-ptkKpz_zdvoBMDH7oSRZjkFxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/praying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="606" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3ufmPSk64k/XmPTSD_v0fI/AAAAAAAABWw/8tGW84f-ptkKpz_zdvoBMDH7oSRZjkFxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/praying.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the
spiraling, spinning maze of confusion</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">stirs
itself into the mix of anguish and pain</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
aching emptiness</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at
the bottom of an empty well</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a
terror so strong it shakes me </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at
the core of who I am</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">kneeling
in front of an open window</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as tears
explode from my eyes</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
listen for something tangible</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as
the wind moves through the trees</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
listen to the chiming melodies</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for
the unspoken sound of a word</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the
key is willingness…</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that
is the message today</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the
answer is somewhere in the silence</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in
the idea of faith</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
don’t want to know only the ‘idea’</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but
still the questions come</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
in the cold wind filling my room</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
rock back and forth and cry</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">help
me to let go of this pain</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of
this fear that grips my chest</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">help
me learn to breathe </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">like
the leaves falling from the trees</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">help
me carry this weight </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as I
buckle beneath the task</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am
on my knees</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">help
me, help me please</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t
know your name</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or
if I can recognize your face</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but
I can willingly concede</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that
there is no other way out of this</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in
the quiet chill of this morning</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as
the birds sing to me from the trees</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am
willing to surrender</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">please,
have mercy on me…</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxM0qCIhK2Q/XmPTgEFZVBI/AAAAAAAABW0/VKrjkha_WMYcsWug_JDvBJpsvgjlC1jSACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/mercy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="364" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxM0qCIhK2Q/XmPTgEFZVBI/AAAAAAAABW0/VKrjkha_WMYcsWug_JDvBJpsvgjlC1jSACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/mercy.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-9506124748817734902020-02-25T05:38:00.002-08:002020-02-25T05:38:34.843-08:00of grace and faith
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">grant
me, the serenity…</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and
all at once, I surrendered</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">holding
tight to the need to control it all</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">to
make everything move under the direction of my hand</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">in a
life lived so alone</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">there
is no other way to exist</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">letting
go of anything, the smallest speck</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">will
shift the pieces of the paradigm</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">so
that it is no longer recognizable</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">so
that it no longer fits</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
panic that comes</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">with
the threat of losing hold</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
terror of it slipping away</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">is
enough to shake the foundation</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">causing
cracks to form</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
splintering lines that spread</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">from
the center of the whole</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">reach
like the threads spun in a web</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and
begin to sully its integrity</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">there
is fear so real it has a name</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and
sadness so deep it suffocates</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">drowning
in the stifling morass</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">a
view above the surface is concealed</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">hopeless,
helpless, seemingly heartless</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
vast emptiness overtakes</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">consumed
by consumption</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">by
the wasting away</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">flat
on the floor</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">face
down, frozen still</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">wishing
for nothing</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> but for it all to stop</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">with
skinned knees </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and
blistered hands</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">no
strength to hold </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">anything
that is left</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
only tangible trace </span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the
only recognizable piece</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">is
in the gentle simplicity</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">of
this grace</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">of
letting go</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">of
surrendering</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">of
trusting and believing</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">in
faith</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-59773491292142473412020-01-16T08:28:00.000-08:002020-01-16T08:28:10.151-08:00Her Laughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0f_Vvga23dE/XiCOepxaP_I/AAAAAAAABVw/rQH_M2LJaOsPqrwr52xSz0FN1eveEXa4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dazzle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0f_Vvga23dE/XiCOepxaP_I/AAAAAAAABVw/rQH_M2LJaOsPqrwr52xSz0FN1eveEXa4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dazzle.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it erupts
suddenly and seemingly from nowhere</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but it is
rooted in the deepest parts of her</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it is born
deep in her core</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and it
shakes her as it explodes</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">there is a
warning sign, nothing short of a whisper</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but you will
only catch the slightest glimpse</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and you have
to know what to look for</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">you have to
be paying attention</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">paying
attention…</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her favorite
form of currency</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she believes
in the investment</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and the
worth that those moments hold</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the signs,
as I said, are there</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">a soft and
subtle inhale</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">drawing
strength for what is about to come</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">for the
inevitable and unending cacophony of sounds</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as she
inhales, there is a twinkle that flashes </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">just on the
edge where the azure bleeds into </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the pure
white of her eye</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it sparkles
like the sunrise on the sea</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that shimmer
begins to multiply</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">like a
thousand diamonds glistening</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and my eyes begin
to dance </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">following
those bright flashes</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the second
sign begins at the top of her cheek</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">just below
the outer corner of her eye</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the skin
rises into a half circle</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">accentuating
the sparkle with its curve</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the movement
slowly spreads across her face</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the deep blush
of her lips</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">follows her
cheeks as they turn up at the corners</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and the
sound takes its shape</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as I watch
her, everything in her changes</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her face
begins to open </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">like a
flower as it blooms</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the beauty nearly
knocking me to my knees</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the musical
lilt of her voice </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">flooding my
ears and my senses</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the gasping
breaths moving in and out of her</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">fueling this
glorious sound</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it shakes
her visibly</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">tears form
in the corners of her eyes</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">never
eclipsing the shimmer and shine</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">only adding
to the beautiful glow</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it is
infectious and overcomes me as well</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I cannot
control myself </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the sounds escape
me </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">echoing in
harmony the music she makes</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as her
breathing slows</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she regains
her composure</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the smile
becoming softer </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but her eyes
never change</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am stunned
and dazzled</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and my eyes
simply stare</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">this is what
I see, this is what I hear</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">when she
laughs</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-34938452008698316642020-01-15T06:50:00.005-08:002020-01-15T06:50:55.681-08:00rambling morning thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szd24TFiRRk/Xh8mmF2017I/AAAAAAAABVQ/mp9JuWEIn_QXCIc1uA_NhAlLTKUtB9TXACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szd24TFiRRk/Xh8mmF2017I/AAAAAAAABVQ/mp9JuWEIn_QXCIc1uA_NhAlLTKUtB9TXACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">perhaps it
is a question of faith</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">perhaps one
of trust</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it is surely
lodged deep in the heart of honesty</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it is
integrity, humility, and virtue</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">how do we
overcome our own shortcomings?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">how do we
right our wrongs?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">how do we
let our future</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">become more important
than our past?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">where do you
begin </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">when you
wish for change?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what does
that look like?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">how do the
words sound?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">is it a
language you even know</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">or are you a
stranger trying to find your way?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">do your
senses become heightened</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">when your
balance leaves you shaken?</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the first
step, for me</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">has always
been the truth</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">recognition
of a wrong</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">or asking
for a want or need</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it seems
simple, I know</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but do we
always know</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">when we have
wronged another?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">do we ever
know </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what we
truly want or need?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">within the
endless questions</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">there must
be times of reflection</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the internal
turn where you face yourself</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">where you
see yourself through the eyes of another</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">do you have
such a mirror</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the luxury
of a devil’s advocate?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">someone who
will challenge you </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">in ways you
cannot challenge yourself?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">do you view
your reflection </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">through open
eyes?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">or do you
let your gaze be clouded</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">by the ego
that protects you?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">where do you
feel safe in your own skin</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and why isn’t
that feeling everywhere in your world?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what would
you change if you could</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">pieces, spaces,
the walls that hold you?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what would
the landscape of your own design look like?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what would
you add or take away</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">to make the
terrain someplace that challenged you</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but where
you also felt safe?</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder
about the cost of freedom</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">is it really
all it’s cracked up to be?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">or is it
just another form of loneliness</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">disguised as
something else?</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">we consider
the origins of that paths that led us here</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">two roads,
so long, so seemingly endless</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what did we
learn on that journey</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that will
change the way our destination looks?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what have we
carried down this road</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that has
made us stronger for the effort?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what will we
do differently today</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that will
shape the outline of our future?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">what will we
let go of in order to hold on </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">to all that
tomorrow brings?</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2603588489333151910.post-13400603540200753782020-01-06T04:54:00.000-08:002020-01-06T04:54:14.406-08:00The Story of Us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNKsnbGHKcc/XhMtTO7ejII/AAAAAAAABUs/BifyWP6MGEEw4jRaU1KyOZviS9lsdR2DwCEwYBhgL/s1600/open%2Bhand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="574" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNKsnbGHKcc/XhMtTO7ejII/AAAAAAAABUs/BifyWP6MGEEw4jRaU1KyOZviS9lsdR2DwCEwYBhgL/s320/open%2Bhand.JPG" width="287" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that’s her, right there, do you see
her?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">let me tell you how I know…</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her movements define her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">but you have to look closely</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">initially, I can see where you might
be misled</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">where you might mistake what you see</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she moves quickly, nearly always</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">rapid-fire, full-tilt, lickety-split</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and while it’s hard to see from the
outside</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she moves so, with intent</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">no matter the environment</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can see her clearly</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">professionally, she has purpose</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">leading the charge to success</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">inspiring with a smile</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that could make you believe in
anything</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">support with kindness</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">words whispered over a shoulder</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">a hand patting a back</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">laughter pushing hesitation forward</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">personally, those glimpses are newer,
and fewer</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">yet in the retelling of tales</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can see her character</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as it lives on her page</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">here she is stealthy, covert,
concealed</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she has learned to exist on the edge</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">on the fringe, just outside</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the things that she deserves</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘not enough’ is a phrase that passes
her lips</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">far too many times</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and the more I see into her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can see the reasons why</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">this sweet angel, this darling girl</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">this woman who makes me smile</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">has martyred her view of her
brilliance</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">yet I still see her shine</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she settled into tolerance</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">for the proverbial ‘winter’s nap’</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and believed that is was ok</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">to feel nothing ever again</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she allowed herself to accept</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the things that she never received</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m not even sure she realized</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">how completely they had gone</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she let her capacity to love</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her own gift of empathy</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">become the measure of her happiness</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">gauged only by herself</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the first time she saw me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">it was as if she had been awoken</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">from that long lonely sleep</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">from the silence in her heart</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she was drawn to the light</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that she somehow knew</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">would illuminate the darkness </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that had fallen over her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as I watch her now </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">outside of us </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her pace never changes </span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">its rhythm driving her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and then she comes to me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and once the door is closed</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">like crawling into a nest</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she becomes quiet and still</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she knows she belongs here</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">everything about her is softer</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">when she is next to me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and she never stops touching me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">as if she can’t believe I’m real</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">while her body takes root in me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her fingers become her pulse</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I can see her still searching</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">not sure I won’t disappear</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she touches me, as if she is studying</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">trying to remember every detail</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I know that deep within her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she is still so afraid</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">her eyes, are clear blue windows</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">that allow me full access to her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I watch her as she watches me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I see myself through her eyes</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have been chosen by her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and it has always been as simple as
that</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">there is no denying her tenacity</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I tried that, yet here I am</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the moment I felt her touch me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">all of my arguments fell away</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I saw this beautiful creature</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and suddenly, I was also awake</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">now I watch her with crystalline eyes</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">every nuance, every trace, every
tinge</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she unknowingly bares herself to me</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and I chronicle her cues</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she gives me words, and signs</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she gives me passion and intent</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she gives me answers without even
knowing</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she’s given me the story of her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">she’s given me the ultimate gift</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">of interpreting the mystery of her</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">and in that unfolding tale</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">lies the story of our life</span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span>aka_andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388010898688586760noreply@blogger.com0