Healing Journey Through the Woods

Today is a new day,

A new week.

Another month has passed by.

Dear Diary,

It’s getting just a little bit easier.

When this journey started,

This writing rhythm

This beating in my chest

Made life feel hectic and insane.

~

Now I write for peace of mind

For peace of my body and spirit.

I write for me again.

~

Taking a stroll through the woods.

I take in the smells of the earth, of the trees, and of the gentle breeze.

It’s cloudy out today.

There’s tale tell signs of rain to come

Maybe I’ll dance in the rain this time

Maybe I’ll lose myself in the magic of Spirt

~

There’s a small trail

Where my feet have stricken the earth and created a path

It’s small,

But still,

If you look close enough you can see the track.

The leaves are falling.

Autumn and the brisk air are fast upon us

I pull the book into the crook of my arm

Just a little closer,

And reach up to make sure the pencil is still wedged in my hair.

~

This is my chance to be part of the magic

I hum a tune without rhythm or care

As you walk,

I notice the stillness of the woods

The silence and quiet have taken over

It’s odd, but serene and inviting

Stopping, I take in a deep breath,

Breathe in

And

Breathe out.

~

My favorite spot is fast approaching.

There’s a creek in the woods,

It’s hard to describe.

Ten or even fifteen feet wide.

If you follow the path that water has naturally cut out of the earth,

I’ll reach the road and the old bridge over the creek.

But before the water starts to tread over your toes,

There’s a massive fallen tree.

It’s wide like the balance beam on a jungle gym

It’s length spans the creek,

Like a mini bridge.

~

When I was smaller, more childlike

I would imagine that the tree was part of my ship

And that I would walk out on the plank and observe the waters below

When the river is full,

The water pressing beneath the tree,

I hesitate to stand on the mass

Afraid to fall off and be swept away.

~

Today, I humble at the natural beauty

The big beast of an oak had to have been taken down in a storm

I carefully step onto the beast’s back

Walking until I’ve reached the middle and sit down

My feet dangle over the edge

I take the journal out of my grip

Pull the pencil from my hair

And shift my fingers to the ready

~

I’m an adult now

Writing about adult things

The thought brings a grin to my lips.

For too long, I denied the child within

I denied the happiness and peace of myself.

So today, I want to write about me

And yet, my fingers itch to describe the blissful moment

~

As a writer,

I want to describe the world you can escape in

As a curious being,

I want to find that world

And explore the depths of its beautiful chaos.

This is the place

Where so many little stories of my life have taken shape

Where the ink has bled into the pages of my life.

~

After the breakup

You read how my heart was broken

Shattered into a million pieces

Like any person trying to tackle a puzzle

I’ve sat down to carefully put the pieces back together

Like the Kintsugi art

I will mend my broken heart with gold and silver

My spirit will shine again

Maybe even as bright as the sun

Peeking through the bleak clouds.

~

Today,

I’m okay.

Maybe that’s the first signs of healing.