We walked out of the first day of preschool holding hands.
This is my entry for the @naturalmedicine Art is Healing Challenge. Thank you for the thought-provoking prompt.
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
We walked out of the first day of preschool holding hands. She is the person of my choosing who has known me the longest - through every part of my life since I was 3. I have very few friends. I tend to give all of myself, my true self, to my partner, opting to invest heavily in the romantic relationship instead of the friendships.
Or maybe it is that I struggle with revealing all of me to too many others because I find it taxing in an empathic way that leaves me with less after the encounter.
Or maybe I just don’t know how to make friends.
From the 10 years I spent teaching in North Carolina, there is only one person that I can still call a friend. But even though romantic partnerships have changed, and the many acquaintances I have made over the years have fallen into the past, my one dear friend remains.
She was the first person I told when I received the email that changed my life. And she drove 3 hours the next day just to make sure I had someone to hug. I have made many unconventional choices since that day. She may, in fact, think I am crazy, but she lovingly tells me she is proud of my bravery, and never failed to send me little notes of encouragement.
At a low moment when I had nothing to give, I wanted her to know how grateful I am that we walked out of preschool holding hands that day. The words that flowed out of me weaved themselves into the gift of poetry, creating something I could offer to her, and fostering healing in me as I took a moment for myself, and with myself, to act in gratitude. Words have always been dear friends of mine, and so it is fitting that they showed up in my dark night of the soul to bring light and share love with her.
You are more meaningful than the quotes on my office desk.
Your acts of kindness and support gather my strength
like the leaves blown into piles on my street.
Though fragile and drifting,
together they can stop the traffic of doubt and uncertainty
that dwell in the lonely places of my thoughts.
I wish for you the happiest of birthdays.
I send to you, Peace. Love. Joy. Contentment.
And I offer you my friendship forever.
I am grateful to find a place with rich soil to grow a community. May we take root, and flourish together.
All artwork, photographs, and content are original and created by @bia.birch unless otherwise credited.
This is a beautiful story and sounds like true friendship to me.
True friends for me are those who stand by you during the ebs and lows of life, who accept you just the way you are - without asking for change. A balanced relationship without conditions.
I only have a handful of real life friends and family is almost as important to me but I feel that since I've entered Steemit, I made a couple of dozen of new friends, some of them very dear ones.
Much love from Portugal,
@vincentnijman
If you like what we do, consider delegation or following our curation trail on Steemauto. All are welcome to join us on Discord.
If you like what we do, consider delegation or following our curation trail on Steemauto. All are welcome to join us on Discord.
Thank you for your kind words and curation. I am finding such kindness and an overwhelming feeling of welcome on Steem, and especially with the natural medicine folks. It is so beautiful to look at what can be created when community is the goal. 🌱
How lovely. I too have few friends, but the ones I have mean the world to me, stirring that little emotional soul of mine to write poetry!
Aw I bet she really loved those words. Words always bubble forth when I'm in my darkest moments - they say there's not a lot of creativity in 'happy'!
Isn't that the truth!?! You have to be stripped bare in order to bare your soul. 🌱
I love this story! True friends are rare and hard to find. My closes friends are one I’ve know since kindergarten and the other since third grade. I’ve met others along the way but none sticks closer as my friends from my younger age. I have a handful of other friends I grew up with but we are on different paths and have a hard time connecting now. I honestly wish for more friends now in my adult life but am thankful for the ones I have as well as my family whom I’m close to.
Really nice poetry you shared here. It’s great that you have such a friend that loves and cares for you and sticks by your side. That’s truly a blessing ~
Isn't it interesting that many people end up calling their closest friends someone they met when they were very young? It is like our true self connected with their true self before the cultural conditioning and expectations set in to manipulate our choices in friends. I always say that my soul chose her soul, and I believe that. 🌱
Yes that’s deep and so true! Very good observation as I see it too!
Such a treasure to have a life long friend! And a lovely gift of your poetry!
You do have a fine way with words!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you @porters! I really enjoy writing, but rarely made time for it in the past. Steemit has sparked interest and encouragement so that I do prioritize this form of creativity and self care. I enjoy chatting with and learning from other people so much. Thank you for taking the time to comment 🌱