I ran away.
I hid behind my well-put-together appearance.
I buried my head in the sand of denial.
I have now come full circle, back to the same place.
I gaze at my fractured reflection; this is who I am.
I am weaknesses and difficulties.
I am gifts and talents.
I am stuck with myself in this love-hate relationship.
I am a big messy jigsaw puzzle.
I kept stretching and straining my neck.
I stood gawking at the beautiful, neat puzzles that surrounded me.
I burned with envy.
I look outside, and it is a new dawn.
It is a new year.
The sunrays tentatively touch my brow.
I sit and allow hope to germinate in my soul.
I reach out for my puzzle.
Piece by piece, step by step.
Even if it’s only three minutes a day, it is okay.
For it is progress.
I am moving forward.
I am not stopping, no matter how slow the journey is.
I am alive now; it is a precious gift.
I will open up to each day, petal, by petal, until I fully blossom.