I think they just love me
Gratitude for the ones who stick around
Today, dear readers, I gift you a poem written a few years back when I realized a deep fear did not actually come true. A few people stayed with me, even when I was sure they’d all disappear. Turns out, that’s all I needed.
i remember wondering
who would still be my friend
on the other side of
my new life
who would still see me
beyond the stole i’d always worn
the robe that suffocated my spirit
the work that made me worthy
if i truly took it all away
who might still see my heart
and find it worth spending time with
i look around now
and see seven women
who at some point decided
my heart was worth spending time with
not because of anything
i can do for them
but simply because of who i am
as someone who thought my worth
was tied to performance
ideas
action
skills
this still does not compute
i think they
just
love
me
Reflection Questions
Are there people in your life who’ve stuck with you during seasons of significant change? How might you tell them of your gratitude?
Are there others who weren’t equipped to be what you needed? Is their grief that needs tending?
How does it feel to know some of your people love you for you, not what you can do for them?
From the Archives
Love releases - a poem on kids and birthdays and getting older
“Mom, none of hem look nervous” - an essay on OCD
Joy is the most vulnerable emotion - a poem and reflection on joy
How grief rearranges a life - an essay on family dynamics after loss
I feel very blessed by friends where there is a deep level of mutual trust. I think real friends don't malign or make assumptions about the other but keep to deeper discovery. I have learned to let go kindly of such and bless what was. We each deal with life as best we are able.