There's a soft blue spark
That materializes in the smallest of moments
That illuminates those that love
Whoever they may be
And we can see it, that blue glow.
Just like a fire never chooses where to burn
A spark never chooses where to find itself:
Between animal and friend;
Between fingertips during a movie neither cares for;
Between the flick of your smile
And the words on a page
Or the flash on a screen;
Between mother in mind
And child that may only be there too;
Between laughs that bubble up
When nowhere and nothing clash;
Between one here and one far,
Or one here and one gone.
We fall in love with those sparks of love
And they show us just how to do so -
Teaching you how to teach,
Showing you how to show,
And they care not for who
For what
For when
For why
For how;
They simply show.

Your arms.
Your legs.
Your wrists.
They are covered.
Covered in scars.
“Stop. Stop cutting.”
“Scars are just marks.
Marks that mean people put on your body.
They put them there because if people are mean,
You end up being mean yourself,” you reply
“Stop cutting. Please.”
“People who cut,
Bruise,
Burn,
And have eating disorders,
Are the most gentle people
You will EVER meet.
They would rather hurt themselves than others.”
“You might cut too deep. You could hurt yourself. Stop.”
“Cutting is the only pain I can control. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“One day, your kids might see your scars.
And think it’s okay for them to do it too.”
You start crying.
“We all wish someone would notice.
But then once they do, we wish they never did.
You are that person.”
“I’m here for you.
I’ll listen to you.
I’ll hold your hand while you cry.
I won’t make fun of you.
You can tell me anything you want.
Stop lying.
You’re not alright.
So quit telling me that you are.
You’re broken.
Bent.
Bruised.
Scarred.
I’ll stay with you all night.
I love you.
I can’t watch you silently suffer anymore.
I’ll help you through this.
Just one condition.
Throw.
Away.
The blades.”

Softly child softly
Skitter through the fields to the ruined city
Stand on the outskirts and wonder
Who could have destroyed this?
Wonder
Who could have torn down these arches?
On tiny feet approach
Tread softly child, softly

Over the red dust
Across the desolate plains
Toward the hint of the fallen city.
Foot falls like gentle rain
Wonder mixing with innocence and love
Softly, child

Skip around the rim
Dance with the choice of stepping where none have
On bold feet; Be courageous..
But curiously, child. Softly

Step inside the bounds
Find its dark destroyed corners, and
marvel at the wear of time
Wonder, child

In the epicentre
From which the salt earth extends
A small circle of pearls
Plant a seed
child, thoughtfully

Water it with your tears
Shelter with body and belief
And watch as this seed take
Tend the vines, then
Cultivate the ground with your love
Softly, child

Now sit..
Sit, child
And weep.
Not in shame
Nor sorrow, despair or anguish at loss
Let the marvel of your hands very creation
Fuel your tears
Weep for the subtle nature
Weep for the one who came before
My beautiful child

Now smile
As eyes slowly cloud
As memory finally becomes sight
And lungs now strive for air
Let go
And be at rest, finally as all things
Sleep child.
Peace.

Just want you to know
You're my closest lil friend
And when I'm around you
Nothing can offend

Our friendship means so much
But words are so small
Not enough there can be
To possibly describe it all

Your elegant and pretty
But that's just surface stuff
I'll skip all that if you don't mind
I'm sure you hear it enough

Your inner qualities
That's more important to me
So I hope you bear through
And I'll show you what I see

You're loving and caring
Ready to bend a listening ear
You're sweet as the south
You're a joy to be near

Your uplifting words
Like water to the soul
Your love for your friends
Burns hotter than coal

Love you to death
My little friend so dear
Should you ever need anything
I'll always be right here

In my entire life I had never noticed,
how much I mean to others.

I saw myself as a spec of dust,
hardly worth the oxygen I needed to survive.

But once I opened myself to the warm arms
of the many people who love me,
I knew who I was.

I made a list,
of all of you.

108 and counting,
of people who care.

When I posted about it,
so many of you said,
"I'm on there, right?"

Of course you are.
I wouldn't be who I am
without you.

So thank you,
all of you,
for helping me survive.