I am

the soothing tide

drifting on back strokes,

footprints left as treasure

in dawning foam

of lapping teal waves.

I am

watching weeping

white diamond wind

tossing oceans in

salt of briny breeze,

kissing azure ocean

of white capped dreams.

I am

skin of the sea rising

to frothed crescents,

canopy of waves

sheltering my soul,

alone, holding ocean

in my sieved fingers

I am

rich cobalt view

of serene passion,

floating above surface

before diving into depth,

sunlit smile and silence.

I am

uncharted waters waiting

for you to decipher

blush of shell-toned sky,

a soaring seagull

at cusp of cerulean sea.

I am

sailing my ship

to unknown horizons

in destiny of ballads,

strolling endless shore

of no regrets.

~This story is kind of depressing, but has a good message overrall.~

She pressed her palm against the glass. Her breath caught as her reflection slowly started to dissolve into the mirror, and her stunning blue hair turned into the icy waters of the ocean. Her rosy cheeks that were red from the cold turned into a pink sunset, and her curls became small ripples within the water. Her light colored skin turned into the pale sand that decorated the shoreline.

As she gasped and started to back away, the mirror started to reform its original image, leaving only her perplexed face staring back at her.

“What the-” she stopped mid sentence as she heard the rushing of water spray from the bathroom.

She walked away from the mirror, and cautiously strode towards the tub. When she pulled back the curtains and gazed into the water, she once again saw her reflection. Only this time, it was her, the real her, staring right back. She waved her right hand, and the water did the same. She stuck her tongue out, only to have the action mirrored.

“What are you?” she called out, only this time, the reflection did not mouth the words back at her. Instead, it stepped aside to show a desert landscape.

When the girl peered past her reflection and saw the sand, she gasped. For she has never seen a world so devoid of life. She had never seen a world without busy streets and people and animals. She had never seen something so empty. She had never seen something so- stunning.

Transfixed, the girl peered farther into the water, and when she touched it, was sucked through with only a few water droplets to show of where she had come from.

As she stared at her surroundings, she realized that it wasn’t as pretty as the water had convinced her. The beautifully pale sand that she had been staring at before seemed to be specs of dust compared to other image, and the comforting emptiness that she once saw seemed to be only a barren landscape now.

The girl dragged her tiny feet through the black sand until she could no longer walk. She searched for a shaded spot to rest, but to no avail. The girl was no fool, she knew that in a place like this, she could get easily dehydrated and die. She knew how important rest was in order to not hallucinate.

Thinking better of wandering the great desert aimlessly, she crouched down into the sand and started to dig until she felt the cool substance slide though her fingers. She dug a resting spot the size of a dog bed, and the depth of a small closet, and slowly drifted to sleep.

When she awoke, she found purple insects crawling over her with bags of chips and fresh fruits just dangling in front of her nose. Although she suspected that she was hallucinating, she couldn’t argue with the fact of how hungry she was, so she grabbed one of the weird creatures and removed a plum from its grasp.

She could actually taste the plum’s sour skin and sweet insides. It was the best thing she had ever tasted, and she wanted more, more, more. Only when she reached to grab another, she discovered that the bugs were no longer there. And the beautiful fruit that she had eaten before had now tasted like the roughness of the sand that lay below her.

The girl couldn’t believe herself. How could she have fallen for such a trick like that? Frustrated, she threw herself upwards and started to walk again.

Where was she going? She did not know. All she knew was that she had to get away. Had to get away from all the purple bugs and the awful fruits that tasted like sand. Had to get away from all the nasty tricks that she pulled on herself. Had to-wait. Tricks? Tricks that she had pulled on herself? Only, the girl now knew that all of this was one big trick. A big trick that her reflection had pulled.

She had to get out. Had to get away. She couldn’t even remember her old life, couldn’t remember what her favorite food tasted like, she couldn’t even remember her name-But, what was her name? Surely she had one? Surely, if she remembered it, she could go home?

The girl struggled to remember her mother and father, the artwork that she had always drew. She struggled to remember the oceans that she would draw her mother, and the sunsets that she had drawn her father. She wanted to remember, but she couldn’t. All she knew, was that she was dying. Slowly, but surely. And she was never going to see her parents again, never going to draw the beautiful ocean that she was obsessed with, and was never going to be able to live her life. She knew this now, but if she only gave up hope sooner. Maybe then, could she have stopped remembering how pathetic her life truly was. All she wanted to do was die. She wanted to die, because the reason that she was here in this beautifully quiet paradise, was because of herself. She had banished herself here, and she would die here. For she thought that if she isolated herself, she would experience peace.

What the girl did not know, was that by isolating herself, she was slowly starting to kill herself. Slowly, every day. And by the time she realized it, it was too late.

The girl just layed there on the black sand, wondering if she would ever see the ocean again. She started to twirl her blue hair, and close her eyes.

When the girl slept, her hair started to wrap around herself, and the body that had once covered the dark sand, had transfromed into a beautiful ocean that had covered the desert. And after that, the girl never woke up again, and the black sand that was there before, had turned pale. Once again, the life had returned to her world, as she was finally happy.

Baseball Season

So, it is here, baseball season that is. There is something so nastalgic about this American game. Maybe its the aroma of hotdogs in the air. Or sitting in just the right section to catch a ball from one of your favorite players. Its the cool breeze caressing your sun burnt face as you realize it is only the beginning of your most anticipated favorite season. You realize its more than just the love of the game but a family tradition. The crowd goes crazy as that first home run is made. You and the guy next to you throw a few high fives as half of his beer spills onto your brand new loafers. But you dont care, its part of the experience and you look at that little kid next to you. The one with the little bits of cotton candy on his face. He is just waiting for his chance to live his dream. You can see it in his eyes. He wants it so bad and you realize its never too late to feel like a kid again. Nobody can take this moment away. The one that takes you away from adulthood. You are free to be you and you yell again for your team that has suddenly inspired you once again. You find yourself grinning from ear to ear. Your cheeks are rosy and your throat hurts from yelling at your team. You are back to good. Nothing like baseball season. It is here.

I’m not sure of the protocol of entering my own Challenge, but this seemed like the appropriate place for this:

I Met a Man

I met a man.

He saw my fear.

The dark shadow over me.

He saw my confusion.

And he smiled.

“Stand up,” commanded the man, raising me from my inner mind, where I cowered in solitude.

“Why do you cower?”

“I’m afraid,” I said.

“Of what might come. And also, what might not come to pass.”

“Then protect yourself,” he said

“But not by curling up in a ball and hiding away.”

“Then, how?” I replied

“I usually hide in a corner of my head where no-one can find me. Until the danger goes away.”

“No, no ,no,” replied the man.

“Corners are dark. You must shine. Inspire. Overcome!”

“Tell me how.”

And he did:

Make your ‘Stone of Life’.

It will be your centre. Your rock. Your anchor.

Make it from things to make you strong :

Honesty; Resilience; Self-care; Humour.

Engrave it with the ability to say ‘No’ and ‘Not Yet’.

Carve it from your values – immovable.

Around your Stone of Life, build your world.

Be Measured. Be Strong. Be Soft. Be Firm.

This is how to protect yourself.

To keep yourself safe.

“Yes,” I blinked.

“But if I am attacked? How will this protect me?”

“Well,” explained the man, “listen and I will tell.”

And he did:

It will keep you You.

Resolute and Strong.

And then.

You Radiate!

Radiate Love.

Radiate Power.

Radiate Belief.

And

Radiate Conviction.

You will glow, like a bursting star.

The darkness will not touch you,

As you hold your head high, raise up your arms and proclaim: I Am Me!

I Am Me!

And I Am Mighty!

He smiled.

I smiled back.

“So do not cower,” said the man,

“In hidden corners. Shadowed in darkness even before the darkness comes, hiding your worth from the worthless.”

I smiled.

He smiled back.

And I glowed.

Feeling introspective, is a retreat,

It’s a salve, to sooth cognitively,

All that we fail and get hurt by,

And feel shame about,

And hopelessly long for.

But... But...

It’s a choice to flip that switch,

It’s a choice to turn to the self.

The self is selfish, by definition.

It will not raise your thoughts,

Past the jagged edge of fulfilling,

And unfulfilling needs.

So...so..

Do something!

Don’t just think to yourself,

Of gloom and days gone by.

Do something professional,

Do something artistic,

Do something you’ve been putting off,

Do something that needs attention.

Do and make, cook and clean,

And most of all,

Most of all,

Do to others, when you are hurting.

Do a thing of love,

Cook an omelette, bring it over,

Take someone out,

Serve, and help others,

Close or unfamiliar to you.

Do these things, my friend,

And know this:

we’ve all had hard spots,

We’ve all felt raw.

But the sun shines ,

New leaves break out of the bare branches,

And yes, even the flowers bloom,

Out of the cracks in the sidewalk.

And despite the fear, despite the angst,

There will be another tomorrow,

But you will tell it apart,

from this awful today,

Only,

If,

You,

Look,

Up!

As the wind

Chips away at the weathered rocks

Each bearing a long story

Only known by time and the stars

I wonder how this wind’s

Aeolian song brings forth this

New beauty through its destruction.

As the earthquake

Shatters the surface of our lives

Bringing gaping voids in more

Than just the cracked ground

I wonder how this quake’s

Seismic power will bring close

A changed, caring community.

As the tsunami

Rips mercilessly at the shore

Flattening towns, washing away

Lives into the churning sea

I wonder how this wave’s

Cataclysmic force will incite

Countries helping other countries.

As the fire

Obliterates everything it can devour

Incinerating bright meadows to ash

And burning great forests barren

I wonder how this fire’s

Caustic attack on natural beauty will bring

New life amidst the smoke and the ashes.

As the tragedy

Laughs over joy’s smoking remains

Ripping the last bits of light away

And casting faith irredeemable

I wonder how this hardship’s

Bitter offensive against hope in life will bring

Strength beyond what one could ever have imagined.

To start living it. “The Dream”

I needed only do away with my own.

For they were created alone. And that is how I would eventually find myself.

In a dream surrounded by cajoled theoretical sycophants.

“The Dream” for me. A life fulfilling surrounded by loved ones living theirs as well. Needed to be created from the ground up with equal consideration giving to all encompassing. Those I wish. Wish to share such a life with me as well. And I’ve found do. Know that you have my endless appreciation. For granting thee such blissfulness.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes because it will end when you let it. Your stomach is churning and your chin is twitching as you hold it all in, but it's okay. Let it out, because it has no where else to go. Let your tears drop, let your voice grow hoarse with sobs or screams. Your fingers become sore from tapping angrily at the keys, but that's okay too. Let the calloses grow frim and let your soul harden from experience.

Old souls are not ones that have lived many lives, they are the people who have visited the darkest parts of themselves and come out kinder. Feel those hard feelings and understand them. Look at that broken person in the mirror and memorize her. Remember what dried tears look like, how puffy and red her eyes are. Most importantly, remember the look of desperation. Know it well in your reflection.

Now use it all. Use the tsunami of emotion to create whatever you want, that creation may not be perfect or the most popular or the best written, but it is you. Nothing and no one can take it from you and those who decide to experience it will learn something about themselves through it. Whether it be good or bad you have put something out there that will impact someone's life. Even if it's the most minute thing, the smallest detail or just a random person bored on the internet, it's out there for someone and it will find them at the exact moment they need it most.

Suffering is not a curse or a misfortune to put you off life, it's a challenge to live it better.

you could be my alarm

to wake me up at five a.m.

you could help me rise

when i want to go to sleep again

you love the mornings

and i’d rather work the night shift

but your voice is inviting

i’d rather wake up and drink coffee with you

my early-morning wake up call

i’d rather wake up and drink coffee with you

Here I lie betwixt earth and sky

Watching the stars in Heavens up high

Observing the worlds as time passes on by

With nothing but space and dreams in between

Guided mindlessly through gates of being

Wandering across mindness lies ambition unseen

Waiting impatiently, waiting to be King.