By design, we want to be loved,
Accepted by others,
Received with high praises.
Some want to be the top of the class,
Others want to go by unnoticed, but with ease.
We all want to be loved —
By our caregiver,
A friend,
A lover,
And a force bigger than the universe.
We showcase our best moments:
Trophies, awards, lottery wins, and 5-star reviews.
Yet we hide the most human moments:
The shame, embarrassment, fear,
Insecurity, anger, and sadness.
The emotions that shake us like a tornado,
Grounding us to Mother Earth.
Such strong emotions —
We want to burn them, lock them,
Or let them consume us.
We forget where we came from.
We forget what we are made from.
And we let scriptures, songs, poems,
And standards written centuries ago
Define who we are and who we should be.
We forget that above all, there is love.
And if we need something stronger,
There is always gratitude —
Complicated yet simple.
Every day, I am reborn
With an opportunity to put one foot ahead of the other,
To hug the moments of shame
With respect and compassion.
And I am left to try again.
Nothing and no one guarantees tomorrow.
All is temporary.
I must ask myself,
What kind of person do I want to be today?
I find myself choosing the person
That never loses hope —
For others and for humanity,
But most importantly, for themselves.
One day, when my body decomposes
And my soul flies away,
I hope to play the movie of my life
Knowing the biggest spoiler of it all:
That it was always enough.
I was always enough.
No amount of currency, objects, or accolades
Compared to the feeling of loving myself
And being loved for who I am.
No amount of insults, mistakes, or regret
Can take away the moments of dancing,
Smiling, and hugging.
Only I can define who I am,
And that is a human being —
Made of and for Mother Nature.
❤ E
Sleepy Awakening 