Old patterns aren’t irrevocably etched,
I am the artist, I can still sketch

Is it okay just to be,
here —
where you can see?

I promise
I am worth the space,
if you can keep up
with my pace.

I’ll override,
I’ll push through —
not who I am,
just what I do.

I’ll work harder,
run faster,
think sharper —
to earn a place
in your view.

The work will be my show.
I’ll be safe,
where you’ll never know —
hiding,
lost in action,
praying you don’t catch the distraction.

I’ve paid the price,
try as I might —
lost pieces of myself
in the fight.

Each success carves a deeper cost:
a little more of who I am,
lost.

Just keep the door open
a crack —
I swear
I’ll make up for all I lack.

I promise I can be it all,
right up until I fall.

I’ll work harder,
run faster,
think sharper —

I’ll be the fire that burns bright,
until I’m nothing —
dying embers
in the night.

Old patterns aren’t irrevocably etched—
I am the artist. I can still sketch.

When the weight of the past pulls you near,
It’s easy to follow the paths of fear.
Learning to sit with yourself, day by day,
Isn’t all fun and games, or light-hearted play.
The darkness whispers, urging you to stray—
To abandon yourself and walk away.

When shadows press in and you’re aching within,
Feeling like you’re paying for an eternal sin,
The winds howl,
The heavens growl…
Why would you want to stay here,
Just frozen in fear?

If today feels heavy and your strength runs thin,
Know: this moment will pass—it’s not where you’ve been.
There’s courage in staying, in holding your ground,
Even when the storm makes no comforting sound.

Grant yourself grace.
You won’t always be in this place.
Don’t burn the bridges. Don’t sever the ties—
You’ll need them to cross when the storm subsides.
Today may be hard, but trust in the flow:
Tomorrow will bring a new light to grow.

When the fog is thick, and the skies are gray,
Do not fear. Do not stray.
It won’t look like this forever—
The sun will rise, no matter the weather.

So hang on. Just stay,
To meet another day.