from my book, a counting of love

do you think that you are doing the world a favour by living small?

existing—hidden and acceptable, you live

a life of square angles and proper edges, even though it hurts

and you know that you were not born for this.

you are a soft thing, a thing that breathes beauty.

you are allowed to be this.

and heaven?

how do you think God feels when he looks at the cherry tree

when she throws her arms in the air in ecstasy, in rapture?

does she ask permission to be? to bloom?

and all the voices who cannot see beauty in your wildness?

let me tell you this truth—there are hearts that wait

with breath drawn in tight

desperate

for that first fierce flush every spring, and then

even the aftermath

when the concrete sidewalk is softened for a little while, ugly things

hidden

by a soft sea of pink, even then, no!

especially then

they count themselves lucky to have witnessed such a thing.

— lessons from the cherry tree | refuse to live small

Excerpt taken from my book, A Counting of Love.

A small reminder from my heart to yours, today.

You are a soft thing.

You are allowed to be this, despite the life that you have been given.

You do not need anybody’s permission to chase beauty in your life.

liezel

liezel graham