Walk forth, on your imperfect way.
Live through another shitty day.
Let your loved ones see all your cracks
And when trouble comes, don’t turn your back.

Stay: Gaze at it with steady eyes.
You might be puzzled and surprised
Not only at its mounting rubble
But at the jewels born of trouble;

At all the gifts chiseled by truth,
At all the sweet and bitter fruit
Of life, as it is, uncontained,
Uncontrolled, rugged and untamed.

You may be shocked, most of all
By your desire to stand tall,
To summon strength, to soothe your worry,
To say, quietly, “Mine is the glory.”

Not the valiant glory that you imagined when you were young,
But the glory of inner warmth when you’ve been pricked and stung,
The glory of inner strength when things feel torn apart,
The sweet embrace of inner peace inside your beating heart,
The loud or quiet courage to step forward and speak
When your voice is cracked and trembling; when your body’s worn and weak.

You may be taken well aback
Not only by the thunder
Orchestrated by your choices
And life’s choiceless wonders;
Not only by the rain and pain
You fear will pull you under,

But also by the wells you’ve filled, the wellsprings that you’re found,
The love you’ve nurtured even while still seeking solid ground.

You might be smitten by brief glimpses of all that you have been
While treading unsafe waters, and feeling ‘in-between’,

Believing you’ve not ‘made it’, and maybe never will…
You’ll be enchanted anyway, by moments where you’re still;

Where you’re at one with life’s essence and everchanging ways,
Where you’re less concerned with lifetimes, more concerned with days;

Days, and living through them,
People, and living with them,
The Earth, and being part of it –
Being the essence and heart of it;

Knowing it welcomes you in every shape and form;
In every deep, dark moment, through every violent storm.

The Earth embraces you at every living moment.
Are you surprised your nest awaits, though you believe you’ve flown it?
Are you puzzled to see your very Mother waiting kindly
‘Till you return, time and again, from roads twisted and winding?

It’s alright – be surprised.
The Earth just spins and smiles.
She knows that you’ll find your way
Though it sometimes takes a while.

She’ll help you put your feet up
When you’ve wandered lost for miles.

She’ll hand you cups of steaming tea
And soothe your injured pride.

She’ll gently bandage all your wounds –
Even those you tried to hide.

Rest – and then go forth again,
Though the path may still be wild.

Go forth with courage in your heart,
Though you know not what you’ll find.

Though you know not if the path you’ll walk
Is well-paved or unkind…

Just know, in your bones, you Belong Here,
You – Earth’s most precious child.

Precious Child

Take This Dance

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