Peace from within

I met myself beyond the ache, beyond the breaking seam,

On the quiet side of memory, the far edge of a dream.

she stood without the shaking hands, no shadows in her eyes,

No echoes of the past that bloom like storms across the skies.

she breathed as if her lungs were new, unburdened, full, and wide,

No ghosts curled in her ribcage, no grief she had to hide.

her laughter didn’t hesitate, it rang out clear and bright

A sound I barely recognized, but knew was mine by right.

I asked her, “Do you miss the pain? The child you had to be?

”She smiled soft, a knowing curve, “She still lives here in me.

But she’s no longer trapped in time, no longer left behind,

She’s woven into who I am, resilient, fierce, and kind.

No weight of dread upon her chest, no flinch at every sound,

No flashbacks pulling her beneath, no fear to keep her bound.

She moved like someone safe at last, at home inside her skin,

A body not at war with self, but peaceful from within.

She spoke of love without retreat, of trust without disguise,

Of letting kindness reach her heart without the old goodbyes.

A circle formed around her there, a gentle, steady flame,

A community of open hands that knew her, called her name.

“And who am I?” I dared to ask, afraid of what she’d say.

She laughed, a little wild and warm, “You’re me, just on the way.

The sassy spark, the humor bright, the light you try to dim,

The strength that carried you through hell, when hope itself was thin.

She stepped toward me, closed the space, no distance left to fear,

“You’re not as far behind as you believe from standing here.

Each breath you take, each step you fight, each moment you endure,

Is building me, this life you see, this self that’s steady, sure.”

And in that place beyond the pain, I felt it sharp, then sweet,

A glimpse of something whole in me, not shattered or incomplete.

Not just the sum of what was done, or all I’ve struggled through,

But someone bold, alive, and free…

still becoming… you.