Affirmation*

Beloved,

the part of you that you think is twisted,

weak,

unholy,

the buried part –

that’s a hard place in you.

You’ve grown around it,

because you’re strong like that.

It’s heavy as hell,

but you’ve carried it.

Crack it open.

Beloved, there’s treasure in there.

Gently pull it free

of all the shoulds that drape

like cobwebs over top.

You never needed those.

Now, look.

Look hard into that cracked place.

That’s you in there,

and you’re none of those things you thought you were.

That’s you in there,

that blinding light,

that fiery flower,

that prism dancing on the water.

That’s you in there,

that bird spinning through the air,

all joy and power.

That unspeakable beauty –

That’s you.

So love it hard, beloved.

Love what you find in there.

Let it shine out of your wide-open eyes.

It will feel nice, I think.

It will feel nice to feel like you.

* for National Coming Out Day