355.

This is me...
   broken and messy and imperfect
I stand in front of you baring it all
   my vulnerability feeling like I'm
   naked in a crowd.
Don't try and cover me
This is me - don't you see?
The façade I put up is who
   I pretend to be
But not for you; I just want 
   to be me.
I want you to see me, 
   know me, understand me
I'm slowly taking down the walls
   I've built to protect myself
It's scary being exposed
Acknowledging my failures, 
   showing my scars
I stand before you
   in all my glory
   A warrior, a fighter, a survivor
This is me...
   perfectly imperfect
   my brokenness makes me whole
Proud and strong
of how far I've come
to be who I am today.

353. Lead with Love

Is it so hard to lead with love?
Compassion and empathy should abound
Instead I hear such hateful words
   see violence and anger ...
   directed at what?
   someone who is different than you? 
   someone who loves differently than you?
I listen to stories of struggle, 
   hiding a fundamental aspect
   of one's identity
   Fear of harassment, retaliation, hate
My heart breaks and I wonder
   what you feel when you hear
   the same stories?
How can you stand on your soapbox
   and use words like hell, not welcome, 
   unnatural?
This isn't about ideologies, politics, 
   not even religion.
It is about acceptance, safety, belonging, 
   humanity
I mean isn't this what we all want?
What it means to be human?
To feel heard, to be seen, to be loved
   and to love.
It doesn't have to be difficult
We just have to lead with love.