I am strong
But not always
On the outside I look soft and secure
But I have rough edges that most people cannot see
Unless I want them to
Unless I allow them to
On my good days, the waves gently wash over me
On my difficult days, the waves crash so hard against me I lose my balance
Sometimes, if I am lucky, I can sit with my feet firmly planted and nothing moves me
I feel safe there, protected
But I can still feel the beauty of it all, I can even experience joy
That is when I remember
That is when I allow myself to feel
The good feels
The hard feels
The beautiful feels
Sometimes I feel alone
But if I look around me... I can see the other rocks along the shore
All of them experiencing the power of the ocean, each wave hitting differently
It is not for me to tell them how to feel, this is their experience
It will be unique and different from mine
And that is okay
We are not meant to be identical, it is our differences that make us beautiful
If we are lucky... the waves will slowly move us closer together
Reminding us that we are not alone
And that is what matters most of all
xo
Gabby
