Glimpses of You

I caught glimpses of you

Long before I knew

Little pieces of you

Hidden away for fear of judgment

Misunderstanding

A fear of being “too much”

Only when I really looked

When I let down my guard and let you in

All the fears that stopped me short before

Seemed foolish in the light of your smile

Basking in the warmth of your joy

An immense pride growing within

My all too often tattered heart

Slowly began to mend

As time marched on

I found myself feeling stable

In ways I’d never known

For your certainty

Consistency

Allowed me room to grow

Looking backwards

Taking in the road that led me here

The clarity is almost overwhelming

Painful yet freeing

But I suppose that is the nature of hindsight

Of second chances

Shining light upon circumstances

I never thought I’d survive

Now when I catch you in the mirror

It doesn’t hurt quite so much

For now I know the woman looking back at me

Is worthy of my love