I Am

I’m aware, I’m awake, I’m smelling the flowers,

I’m feeling the earth beneath my feet.

I’ve descended at last from my ivory tower,

I’ve exposed myself to the dust and heat.

I’m soaking in the sunshine and dancing in the rain,

I’m facing my demons and embracing my pain.

The trepidatious child who watched from the shelf

Is loving and laughing and indulging herself.

She can laugh at her ignorance and befriend her shame;

She no longer needs people to blame.

The muscles have sagged, the face etched in lines,

But I’m liberated from the worry of what another opines.

No heads shall turn when I walk into a room;

The thought is comforting, not a harbinger of doom.

I no longer crave acceptance nor push it away;

I welcome every traveller that passes my way.

The highs don’t send me soaring, the lows don’t floor.

The waves don’t topple my boat anymore.

Wherever life takes me, I can go contentedly;

Opportunities abound when you are at sea.

Yes, the body can’t keep up pace with the mind;

Let that not be a reason to live life in a bind.

I can think, I can change, I can adapt and survive;

I can always be grateful for the chance to be alive.