how many thoughts

how many thoughts

are swirling in the minds

of how many people

walking the edges

of this very

same

earth

that we wander?

maybe it doesn’t matter

what thoughts are trapped

in the dark

twisting recesses

of my own

restless mind

because my thoughts

are only my own

and I have no proof

that they even exist

in any

tangible

way

but if I were to catch one

between my fingers

place it gently

on my hand

and offer it to you

as a sacrifice

would you take it?

and more importantly

what

would you find

hiding within?

here

is what

I think:

I think that love

in its truest form

can never be

conditional.

love

can ask about your past

out of curiosity

and never

out of jealousy

or scorn

it can ask you

to open up

to lay your secrets

and your shame

on the table

but it cannot

accept them as anything

other than the beautiful gifts

that they are

gifts of learning

gifts of trust

of moving on

and bearing yourself

wide open

for the world to see

knowing that the world

will only ever see

what it wants

while love

will place a gentle hand

over all the things

you’ve tried to hide

all the broken

you were ashamed to find

and love

will whisper softly

that it’s not

going

anywhere

that in your broken

it sees only beauty

in your shame

it sees redemption

and in your deepest fears

it sees someone

so worthy

of being loved.

pain may cause

our fragile exterior

to crack and fade

and life may cause

our brilliant light

to dim

sometimes -

but our mistakes

do not define us

just as our pain

does not control us

and life

will never break us

like we thought

because love

sits quietly

with the burgeoning dawn

whispering softly

the words you needed

to hear

the most:

broken

can still be

beautiful

pain

can still help

us grow

mistakes

are only how

we learn

and no one

deserves love

as much as you do

on the days

when you feel

like you deserve it

the least.

because in your broken

love sees only beauty

in your shame

only redemption

and in your deepest fears

it sees someone

who has always been

so very worthy

of being loved.