She lives this life
As if she had lived it before
Nothing surprises her
Nothing throws her off her stride.

Sure
she has places she goes to hide
In her mind
Dark.
The craving she keeps in the basement
Darker still.

She knows already
Our shadows are everywhere
Hiding in the walls.

She knows everything.

She walks in the redwoods
The canopy above
The ferns below
Green in the light
Dogs running all around
Putting out her arms
Palms up
And wondering
"Why?"
While her heart aches
For all the innocence
Inside.

Compassion
Encouragement
Enlightenment
The story's not written until the day we die.

The illusion of immortality
Makes us waste so much time

She already knew the end
She had walked this way before.