today we learned about
unconditional positive regard,
and my professor asked us,
in your current relationships,
do any of you feel like
you have to be someone
or something you’re not?
and i smiled

because i don’t know
what that feels like:
you love me for all my flaws,
my ups and downs;
i didn’t have to rip any petals
off of any flowers
to know this—
you proved it to me.