Oftentimes I wonder what I look like through their eyes.
Do they see the same cracks I do?

The quiet hesitation, shattered by restless thought.
The way my hands sometimes tremble, much like my voice.
The way my eyes water when a burden bears much weight.
The flaws etched deep into a body I struggle to love.
The weight of hopelessness pulling me deeper and deeper.

Or is there something more-
Something I've forgotten how to recognize.

A light that doesn't flicker even in the most powerful winds.
A smile that brightens the day of others caught in the dark.
A loving person who yearns for the heart of their own.
A hardworking partner who they can rely on.
A shoulder steady and strong, always there when needed.

Oftentimes I wonder what I look like through their eyes.
And maybe- just maybe,
It's time I learn to see myself like that too.