The Journey Inward

I am beyond winter's plunging temperatures and closer to spring's warm up,
I am beyond the 100th day of school and closer to summer's flexibility,
I am beyond multiple layers and closer to t shirts,
I am beyond dark wakes and closer to longer days.

I am beyond puppy days and closer to better behaved days,
I am beyond teenagers and closer to children-in-laws,
I am beyond cooking every night and closer to a more scaled down pantry,
I am beyond attachment to this home and closer to wanderlust.

I am beyond feeling less than and closer to feeling enough,
I am beyond feeling too much and closer to feeling just right,
I am beyond wearing masks and closer to being seen,
I am beyond "getting there" and closer to complete.

I am beyond hypervigilance and closer to detachment,
I am beyond anxious catastrophizing and closer to letting go,
I am beyond living in dysregulation and closer to a connected mind and body,
I am beyond feeling objectified and closer to embodiment.

I am beyond controlling outcomes and closer to embracing messiness,
I am beyond trying to keep myself safe and closer to living fully,
I am beyond playing it safe and closer to wholehearted living,
I am beyond staying small and closer to expansion.

The idea for this poem came from a dear friend and writing club member, Liz.

Photo:  Garden of the Gods, Colorado.  6.30.23 by LA